Waiting for a Heart Transplant

Her health journey affects not just her life, but the lives of her two teenage sons. They are both helpful and attentive to their mom’s medical needs, but Chrissy’s diagnosis creates a lot of anxiety in the household. One of her sons admits that sometimes he still has nightmares about his mom’s condition. Chrissy is determined to not let her medical needs take away from their childhood and teenage years. “I try to be as independent as I can,” she says. At the same time, she explains, “I don’t want any surprises.” She continues to keep her sons in the know about her condition and encourages them to talk to her doctors.

Because her heart condition is related to genetics, she wants to make sure her children stay as healthy and informed as possible.

Her condition may be dangerous, and it may be a long wait until she receives her heart transplant, but Chrissy is still optimistic and ambitious. Living in Queens, New York, she is in her last year of studying for her Masters Degree in International Crime and Justice. She originally wanted to move to her mother’s native Trinidad and Tobago to work with childhood sexual-abuse cases. Although she is waiting for her new heart, she hasn’t given up on this goal.

“When I get my heart—and I’m hopeful, I follow my coordinator’s directions—I’m going to be all over!” she laughs.