Pete was also a Vietnam War Veteran. He also was a former member of the Mt. Lodge Fire Co., Life Member of the Disabled American Veterans, and a member of the VFW. He was very active in the community, and was well-known in the town by almost everyone.
In April 2001, while on a medical call with the Ambulance Corps, Pete had a Cardiac Arrest. Luckily, he was with EMTs and Paramedics at the time. He was successfully defibrillated and rushed to the hospital. A few days later, he underwent a procedure to implant an AICD (Automatic Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator). In February 2006, this had to be replaced because the battery was running down.
Since replacement of his AICD, Pete was hospitalized multiple times during 2006 for CHF and Cardiac Arrhythmias which caused his AICD to shock him.
The last time Pete entered the hospital was on November 18, 2006. He was in Acute Renal Failure due to the continued weakening of his heart. He remained in the hospital and lost over 50 pounds of fluid. On December 20, 2006, Pete was moved to NY Presbyterian Hospital, where he was being evaluated for a heart transplant. During the first few days there, his defibrillor fired many times. He was transferred to the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU), where his evaluation was expedited, and on December 26, 2006, he was listed as in emergent need of a heart transplant. He was at the top of the list. Miraculously, on December 30, 2006, a heart became available, and at about 5 PM that evening, Pete was taken to the Operating Room for the transplant. Family and friends were waiting in the hospital during his surgery for word of the results. At about 11 PM, the surgeon came to tell us that the procedure went extremely well, and we would be able to see him in about two hours. We did get to see him at about 1 AM. He was on a ventilator, but his skin color looked better than it had in years. He was pink and healthy looking, like a newborn baby. By 7 AM in the morning, he was removed from the ventilator, and breathing on his own. He was awake, and looking great. Over the next few days, all the doctors and nurses said his recovery was remarkable. Pete, himself, was starting to feel less worried and anxious than he had been in a very long time.
By January 3, 2007, Peter was in a room with a Telemetry monitor. He was up walking around on his own, and looking forward to coming home in about a week.
The next morning, Pete was found unresponsive by his nurse at about 7 AM. He was rushed to ICU, a CT scan of the brain was taken, and showed that he had a massive intracranial hemorrhage . He was placed on a ventilator, and moved to the Neurological ICU, where doctors could not understand why this had happened. On January 8, 2007 at 3 PM Pete was pronounced Brain Dead.
Knowing how Pete was such a generous and giving person all his life, we donated whatever we could. Pete was able to donate his liver to someone, as well as skin and bone tissue, corneas, and the valves from the healthy heart he had received.
PETE,
WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU.
YOUR WIFE, CHILDREN, GRAND-CHILDREN, AND ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
September 2006
Waiting for Heart Transplant
December 30, 2006
December 31, 2006
