Burcham, 63, a retired railroad engineer from Le Roy, Ill., died on April 24, 1985, 10 days after receiving his artificial heart. Clark died 112 days after receiving the device in Utah on Dec. Haydon, a retired auto worker from Louisville, on Feb. While the strokes set back Schroeder’s progress, and apparently caused a temporary sag in his spirits, his doctors remained optimistic that he would be able to leave the hospital, something the first mechanical pump recipient, Barney Clark, never did.Įven before Schroeder was discharged from the hospital, DeVries resumed his research project, implanting an artificial heart in Murray P. Future implants might shed some light on the link between the heart and strokes, they said. Jarvik, inventor of the artificial heart, agreed.īut both men said they would probably never be sure whether the Jarvik-7 heart was to blame for the strokes. Neurological tests indicated that Schroeder had actually suffered small strokes, severely damaging three areas of his brain.ĭeVries said he thought the strokes resulted from a blood clot that formed in or near the heart and broke into pieces en route to the brain. DeVries said later he feared he might have lost his patient.Īlthough Schroeder awoke, he had difficulty recognizing his family and remembering what day it was, and his speech was slurred. He was unconscious for about an hour and he awoke paralyzed on his right side and unable to speak. 13, only a few hours after receiving a hand-delivered Social Security check spurred by his complaint to Reagan, he suffered the stroke. Schroeder himself said he felt “fantastic.”īut on the evening of the 19th day, Dec. Those first two weeks with the heart were good times for the retired federal employee. When President Reagan called to wish him well, Schroeder bent the chief executive’s ear about the runaround he was getting from the folks at Social Security. Whether he was showing off his surgical scar, inviting a visitor to put a hand on his chest and “feel my heart,” or reassuring a fellow Jasper native awaiting heart surgery, Schroeder was by all accounts a delightful presence around the hospital. Within days after his surgery, he was touring the hospital in his wheelchair, his Jarvik pump frequently powered by a portable driver designed to give artificial heart patients near-normal mobility when they go home from the hospital. He cried tears of gratitude when discussing what his doctors had done for him and telling how happy he was to be alive. Schroeder and his family handled the worldwide attention without pretension. He has amazed me.”įrom his first request after his initial surgery-for a beer-Schroeder’s wit and down-to-earth manner delighted his doctors and the millions of people around the world who followed his progress, sent cards and gifts and wished him a speedy recovery. Asked how much more Schroeder could take, Fox responded: “I don’t know. Gary Fox, marveled at the strength of Schroeder’s will to live. 9, he suffered a third severe stroke, and was again hospitalized. As the one-year anniversary of his implant approached, his doctors began making plans to allow Schroeder to move permanently back home to Jasper, Ind.īut there was another setback. 11 and within weeks was eating and shaving without assistance. But on May 6, 1985, he suffered a second stroke, which left parts of his body temporarily paralyzed, and he was readmitted to the hospital. He traveled frequently around Louisville in a van and even went fishing on a sunny Saturday in April. After four rocky months, Schroeder was released from the hospital and moved into a specially equipped apartment across the street.Īlthough still suffering speech problems caused by his stroke, Schroeder seemed to be on the mend. Schroeder’s new life began with promise and remarkable progress, only to be set back by a debilitating stroke. Phil Dawkins, one of Schroeder’s doctors, said his patient’s legacy would be that “a major amount of knowledge has come from his experience” on the artificial heart. Trending Questions Is NJ maternity leave taxable? How long does it take for vomit to get dry? Can you lose absolute pitch? Should there be any restrictions when you bleed during pregnancy? If some of the liver is removed will it grow back? How does raising the temperature from 25C to 35C affect the digestion of starch? What is the pulse repetition period? What is the cpt code for debridement of ischial wound by curettage with secondary wound closure? Can you get chlamydia from sharing a straw? What does it means when your ovarian cyst coefficient is 7.Dr.
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