You At Your Best

Due to the hospital's Covid-19 protocols, Lisa was told she couldn't enter. She sat in her car outside and tried not to panic. "Within 15 minutes I got a call from the ER saying a security guard would meet me at the door to escort me to a waiting room," recalls Lisa. "They told me Brian was in trouble and that I needed to pray for the best but prepare for the worst." Lisa learned Brian had gone into cardiac arrest multiple times and that EMTs had performed CPR for over 20 minutes. When she next saw Brian, he was intubated. "I told him we love him and to fight with all he has," Lisa says. Brian was in surgery for 5-6 hours as they repaired an aortic dissection, a serious condition in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the body's main artery (aorta). The next day he was transferred to St. Luke's. Brian needed a heart transplant, and after 48 hours of extensive testing, he was placed on the transplant list. Lisa was told there was a donor late in the day on Oct. 15. "Words simply can't express our gratitude to the heart donor and the family," says Lisa. "In their darkest days, they made the decision to pay it forward, and for this second chance at life they will forever be in our thoughts and prayers." It wasn't until Oct. 24 that Brian was breathing on his own and Lisa was able to hear his voice and an "I love you." He was transferred Nov. 4 to a rehab hospital, where he stayed until going home on Nov. 19, just in time for Thanksgiving. Brian made a social media post of the "Welcome to Arkansas" sign at the Arkansas- Missouri border. "Pulling up at home was an emotional experience," recalls Brian. "It really made me realize what we have as a family and to never take it for granted." Lisa was in Kansas City with Brian for 5½ weeks and relied on an army of family and friends back home. The couple grew up in North Dakota and were taught at a young age to work hard and take care of themselves. Asking for help was not easy, says Lisa, "but when you face unimaginable situations like this, we were so grateful for those who simply stepped in without hesitation." Today, Brian is back to many of his everyday activities. Through this process, the couple learned that Brian has a genetic disorder that caused the conditions that led to his heart attack. Their son Reese also has the gene but preventive tests show no signs of concern at this time. There are lot of dates and numbers that the Christiansons track: birthdays, anniversaries, appointments and even sports scores. But No. 879 is one they'll never forget. Brian was 879th in line for a heart at St. Luke's, and someone they didn't know came into their lives and answered their prayers. suNday, JaNuary 30, 2022 | February - Happy Heart yOuatyOurbest.NWaONLiNe.COM | yOu at yOur best | 7

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