Chris Sigerson

 Chris and Nancy have been in our old ward for six years and so Rick was their bishop the whole time they have been on this heart transplant journey and they would often get Rick's opinion on the different health choices they were facing.  Chris had a heart condition which was causing his heart to harden and he had a device that would measure how many times it had to be shocked.  But over the last couple years it had been in remission and Rick tried to tell them that this was a blessing so maybe to not be in such a rush to get a new heart because the quality of his life was good.  He would bike like ten miles a day and so Rick just new how serious a heart transplant is and you just never know what could happen.  The heart team agreed with Rick and wanted to remove him from the list but they were so set on this path of him needing a new heart while he was fairly healthy that they basically fired that team and got   a team a couple hours north that put him on the list.  Well the beginning of July he gets a call that they have a heart.  Problem is that it is a dead heart they are going to restart and it is a new thing they are doing.  They called Rick and asked him his opinion.  He said he could not tell them what to do but that they are good people who live close to the spirit, and if they felt good about it to go ahead.  Well it has been fraught with problems from day one, but also miracles.  The heart would not wake up so he was on ECMO and usually you. don't make it off of that.  He did thank goodness but he had several near death experiences from this.  Because of the ECMO his kidneys have failed and so he is having to do dialysis.  His toes and fingers lost blood going to them as his body was trying to keep the blood around the vital organs during this time so they all turned black and they thought they would have to amputate.  They have all come back except a couple spots which Rick was shocked by.  His other issue is that he cannot keep anything down and will vomit uncontrollably for hours so he is being fed through his stomach.  He has been in the hospital for 115 days so 3/12 months.  We went to see him last week and it was so good to see him and Nancy.  They are some of the best people I know and Chris was Blake and Caden's SS teacher and he left such an impact on them.  Blake loves him!  So he said that he has ten really big spiritual experiences in his life and 9 of them have been while he has gone through this ordeal.  He shared one with us and his testimony and then before we left he asked if he could pray for us.  It was a beautifully powerful prayer envoking heavens blessings on us and our children.  He only prayed for us during this prayer and not a thought for himself.  He prays with anyone that will let him and he prayed for his cardiologist who is expecting a baby in the next couple weeks.  She said yes and they were all in tears after he said his heartfelt prayer of gratitude for her and to ask for a blessing on her as a healer and as a wife and mother.  He has asked Bishop Hunsaker if he can share some of his experiences with the ward as we have all walked with him through this journey.  So I told Nancy to make sure she tells us when that will be so we can come.  He is supposed to go to a rehab place tomorrow and that will be one more step in getting him home.  Hopefully has he gets moving around more than his kidneys will wake up.  There has been signs of life lately and so that is hopeful.  They did biopsy his old heart and though there were signs of sarcoidosis it had been in remission so not sure if he needed to have this heart transplant but he did and thankfully the heart is working and no signs of rejection.  If they can figure out how to get him to eat without being ill and his kidneys working then he will be in good shape!  Nancy sends out a daily report every night when she gets back to her hotel and always ends it with a scripture and a quote.  It has been very meaningful and inspirational.  Example:  yesterday was James E. Faust: "As with all commandments, gratitude is a description of a successful mode of living.  The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us."  1 thessolonians 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers