Man with a heart Jack Hayes came home from the hospital with a heart transplant and a heart pillow signed by more than 50 doctors and nurses. He is pictured above with his wife, Mary. Comet photo by Jennifer Archibald Jack Hayes of Flora has a young, healthy heart. It's not the heart he was born with, but it has given him a new lease on life.

He had a heart transplant operation on Dec. 19 at St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis.

"I feel like a whole new person - more energy than ever," he said.

That was not the case four years ago. He first thought he had bronchitis, but couldn't get over it. Then it was discovered that he had defective heart valves. His mitral valve was repaired, and his aortic valve was replaced - with a pig valve.

In August 2005, just two months after the valve surgery, he had a pacemaker/defibrillator inserted.

Last fall when he was at work at Jackson-Lee- Pearson, Flora, he started having trouble breathing. His wife, Mary, made him an appointment with his cardiologist.

At the appointment the doctor said, "You're going to have to have a new heart."

"That same day they started tests," Jack said. "They took 45 vials of blood in one day."

Then came the waiting for the heart.

Fortunately for Jack, he only had to wait six weeks.

"You think you're ready for when you get the call, but you're not," Mary said. "I had a bag packed, but I still forgot some things."

Among his first visitors after the operation were his sons, Justin and Jeremy. They asked their dad how he felt and he gave them two thumbs up. Jack doesn't remember doing that, but it was a good sign to his sons.

Mary said you might think that the ordeal is the surgery itself, but she said the real ordeal is after the surgery. She described the aftermath as a whirlwind of going to therapy three days a week, traveling to Indianapolis once a week for biopsies, taking lots of medicine, adjusting the medicine, blood work, doctor's appointments, checking blood pressure and sugar level twice a day, heart monitoring, etc. Jack said his wife has been wonderful to help keep him on track with his appointments, monitoring, and medicine.

"He was taking 19 pills a day, but is now down to about 14," Mary said. "Ninety percent of it is to prevent rejection." She said the frequent biopsies are to look for signs of rejection, which could occur anytime, usually within three to six months of the operation.

Jack said that six months from the surgery they might find out the identity of the donor's family, if they want to be known.

"I would like to meet them and thank them," Jack said. "I feel bad that they had to lose someone in order for me to live."

Jack and Mary are also grateful for all the support they've received from their employers and fellow employees, from their church, from Jack's fellow firefighters on the Flora Fire Department, and the whole community.

Mary works at Zinn Kitchens, and she said they let her take time off to help her husband when he came home from the hospital. She went back to work two weeks ago.

Jack has missed a lot of work because of his heart problems over the last few years, so he is counting the days until he can return. He said it could still be another four months.

Mary said ladies from their church, Flora United Methodist, brought in meals once or twice a week for two months.

"The county we live in is just awesome," Mary said. "We've gotten a lot of support and donations, even from people we don't know. We've been on the road so much, and people have helped with our traveling expenses."

Jack and Mary said they also appreciate the support group at the hospital. They are all in various stages of going through what Jack has experienced. The Hayes still keep in touch with members of the group.

Although things have been going relatively smoothly, and Jack's healing is coming along well, they did have one scare recently. He was at a therapy session in Lafayette when he started having arrhythmia (irregular heart beat). Mary said he was rushed to St. Vincent where his heart was shocked back into rhythm.

They feel fortunate that Jack was at therapy when the arrhythmia occurred. A string of things have happened that Mary describes as good fortune or perhaps even "miracles."

She said they started the day he was to get the heart. It was to arrive by helicopter, and timing was crucial. The weather was bad, both at the place of departure and in Indianapolis. Mary said there was a short break in the weather at both ends, allowing just enough time for the helicopter to arrive.

Additionally, Mary said following Jack's surgery, he had two complications that inexplicably went away without medical intervention.

They considered it an early Christmas present when Jack received his new heart on Dec. 19. He was able to go home on Dec. 31.

Now Jack says he is still building up his strength, but otherwise feels great. He ventures out a little more each week, wearing a mask. He's been to church, the grocery store, and visited family. He and Mary also walk inside at Carroll Elementary School. He's now able to drive himself to therapy.

The Hayes say that after a few rough years, they believe that 2009 will be a good year for them.