Jim, looking as vibrant as ever, took up the time for two Senior Craft Talks to share about himself and more recently the challenge of a being a heart transplant recipient.

Jim is a local guy, met his wife Sandy in middle school in Arcadia, dated at UCSB… and the rest is history with three grown children.

The last few years have been focused on Jim’s survival from what began as a cough that would not resolve and turned out to be his heart failing.

He shared how Sandy found him unconscious on the floor and had trouble turning him over to do CPR when he was heavier and the old heart was failing. He was in a coma for days and from the way it was described, it was touch and go whether he would make it.

Jim gave us the chain of events recalling the critical dates for all of his hospital visits and procedures. He has suffered six surgeries alone for defibrillators that either were recalled or had complications prior to the transplant.  Jim glossed over details but hearing about his experience was gut wrenching.

Though Jim is looking good, moving well and speaking with exuberance, he shared that a complexity has developed. His old heart had a very rare condition and apparently his new heart has contracted the same. He said his medicines are so delicate they are modified as often as once every two weeks.

He began his presentation with gratitude to his friends in Rotary and ended with encouragement to each of us to live each day fully – somber and wise words from a courageous Rotarian.