Taking Heart: The Inspiring Medical and Personal History of a Heart Tranplant Operation by a Texas Writer Who Lived Through It - Hardcover

This Texas writer received a heart transplant in his early 60s as his own heart progressively deteriorated. His account of his experiences--the shock of knowing he was dying, the anxiety of waiting for a suitable heart replacement, the physical and emotional trauma of the transplant itself--is high drama, yet it is also accompanied by a good, clear exposition of the medical art and science involved. Not all transplant patients have made as successful a transition to a new mode of living as Greene seems to have done; thus part of the appeal of his book is an upbeat philosophy that has evidently sustained him through an extremely stressful period in his life. Obviously, those facing similar problems would find this a helpful book, but it is also recommended to all general readers for the story itself.
- Eleanor Maass Assocs., New Milford, Pa.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In 1988, Greene, author of A Personal Country and columnist for the Dallas M o rning News , underwent a heart transplant operation at St. Paul Medical Center in Dallas. His sense of renewed life prompted this "survivor's journal," in which he describes advances in immunosuppressants and coordinating techniques that make organ transplants increasingly common, and the complex ethical/medical questions that affect the recipient and the donor's family. Green's testimony of euphoria at being granted a second life, along with his descriptions of postoperative tests and the regimen of anti-rejection drugs, plus his account of the physical and psychological problems of convalescence, should be invaluable to transplant candidates.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.