July 29, 2005
Update 7/29/05 - On Friday July 29th at 6:04am Billy Luckie was called Home by his Heavenly Father.  Billy passed into eternity very quietly and peacefully as several of family stood at his bed side.

The family cannot even start to share our appreciation to each and everyone of you who have prayed, called, sent cards, donated to the NTAF, played in our golf tournament and the list just goes on.  It has been absolutely overwhelming to us the love and concern for our family.  Please know that we will never be able to personally thank each of you but our appreciation is so strong!  May God Bless you!!

July 24, 2005
Update 7/24/05 - There has been little change in Billy's condition over the last week.  Most days over the last two weeks the doctors have said that he just held his own.  A couple of days they did say that Billy took a couple of very small steps in the right direction, but nothing significant.  Today the doctor did tell us that at this point he believed that most all of Billy's condition could be reversed if his body decided to cooperate but it would take quite some time.  He was adamant in saying that there was still at least a remote chance of some recovery for Billy.  If this recovery does occur then basically we would hope for enough to be able to reconsider the possibility of transplant in the future.  The doctors also are very confident that Billy does still suffer from the Restrictive Cardiomyopathy that he was originally diagnosed with and that the Constrictive Pericarditis that was discovered during the surgery. They believe this was probably a secondary condition that developed as a result of whatever attacked his heart to begin with.  Billy is still is on the ventilator and next week they plan on performing a tracheotomy and moving the ventilator from his throat to the trach.  This becomes necessary after a couple of weeks to prevent permanent damage to his throat from the ventilator.  Because of Billy's extremely fragile state there will be some extra risk involved in this procedure but hopefully it will be successful.  If so, we think he will be more comfortable. He has definitely shown signs of being agitated by the pipe going down his throat. 

We continue to solicit your prayers....Patience is going to have to become our motto!

July 19, 2005
Update 7/19/05 - There have not been any updates the last few days basically because there is nothing new to report.  Unfortunately Billy is still in very critical condition and pretty much on full life support.  We are starting to see the toll all of this is taking on his body and that is difficult to watch.  His body is full of fluid and his arms and hands are extremely swollen.  His skin is starting to leak the fluid and they are having to keep pads under him to catch this fluid.  Also, his finger tips started turning blue because they are not getting the blood and oxygen they need.  We do not really know the full extent of the long term effects of this.  The doctors are continuing to tweak the medications he is on in hopes of getting more positive results.  It just really continues to be a day to day thing for all of us.  Once again we ask for your continued prayers and are so grateful for all the prayers that have already been offered.  God Bless Each of You!!

If you have a few minutes, please take time to view the page where we take note of a lesson that Billy is teaching us even now.  Click Here to view this.

July 16, 2005
Update 7/16/05 - Billy's condition is moderately stable this morning.  On Friday (7/15) doctors started making adjustments in his medications to attempt to improve his blood pressure and his heart rate.  His blood pressure has been being to low and his heart rate to fast so they are hoping to help correct these issues.  The doctors said that Friday could be a "big day" which by our interpretation meant things good improve or get worse depending on how he reacted to the medication changes.  There have been some changes both positive and negative so we are still waiting to see how this plays out.  This morning his oxygen saturation has fallen a fair amount but the medical staff is working to correct that.  The heart rate has slowed down some and the blood pressure has stayed about the same, so overall things are moderately stable.  He is still on the ventilator and dialysis and even though he has tried to open his eyes a time or two he is still being sedated and has not regained his consciousness.

It may seem to becoming somewhat of a cliché, but please continue to pray for Billy and the rest of our family.  God's perfect plan will happen in the end and we want to be sure we are part of that process.

July 13, 2005
Update 7/13/05 - Billy's condition took a serious turn for the worse Monday afternoon (7/11) when his blood pressure dropped extremely low despite the use of the maximum amount of medications to keep it up.  The doctor called Billy's son Eddy to tell him that he did not think Billy would survive much longer and suggested that Eddy and Greg both return to Birmingham soon to join their mother at Billy's side.  Eddy and Greg did return immediately and their wives and children came up shortly afterwards.  We all visited with him thinking it might be our last time together.  However, somehow about 4:00 Tuesday morning his blood pressure came back up to a reasonably acceptable level.  The medical staff was all very surprised by this. 

On Tuesday night the pressure remained fairly stable and the medical staff was able to reduce the amount of meds being used pretty drastically during the night and into Wednesday morning.  During the day Wednesday his blood pressure remained stable but he had routine runs of Tachycardia (rapid heart beat) and fluctuating blood pressure.  Tonight (Wednesday night) Billy actually coded with a lengthy run of Tachycardia and the medical staff actually brought in the crash cart and was ready to start extreme medical efforts to correct the problem but before they started treatment Billy's heart rate slowed back down. 

Billy remains on a ventilator and on dialysis.  He is also still unconscious because of the sedation. The doctors are still very pessimistic about Billy's survival.  They repeatedly tell the family to be prepared for the worst.  As a family, we fully understand his condition and that the medical expectations for survival are very low.  However, we are also aware of the power of prayer from Godly people and the ability of God, the Great Physician to provide healing if that is in His will.  We do not know what the outcome will be but we are prepared to accept whatever God has in His plan for Billy.  Please continue to pray for us all.  These days are literally the toughest times our family has ever been through.  It is so comforting to know that so many are lifting us up in prayer and that God loves us enough to actually be concerned with our pain and hurt. 

As we have said, we still are holding on to one of Billy's favorite scriptures..."They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31

By the way, Hurricane Dennis ended up causing very little problem here in central Alabama.  Thank God for that!  However some of our friends near the Alabama coast and Florida panhandle did get hit fairly hard.  Our prayers and concern go out for them.

July 10, 2005
Update 7/10/05 - Billy's condition today is pretty much the same but there have been a few changes.  First the doctors have decided to place him back on the mild but constant dialysis that he was on earlier.  His kidneys are still functioning, but they are unable to do all the work they need to right now.  His body is full of fluid including his lungs and the dialysis is a proactive action to help in that area.  He is showing some movement in his legs and arms, but the doctors have decided to sedate him to keep him under for another day or two.  They believe his body needs this time to heal.  They are starting some nourishment today and are continuing to monitor all aspects of his body functions.  He is still on the ventilator but he is taking some breaths on his own. The doctor statement today was the he was "trending in the right direction" and we are certainly glad to hear that.  It will be a very slow process and we ask for your continued prayers.

July 9, 2005 - Comprehensive Update
Update 7/9/05 - On Friday God did teach us that he is still in the Miracle Business but today he is teaching us of our need for patience and continuing need of Him!!

Although we did get good news on Friday we want to clarify that Billy is still very, very critically ill and we still need your continued prayers.  As of this afternoon, he is back in the Heart Transplant ICU in critical condition, he is still unconscious and still on a ventilator because he is unable to breathe on his own.  Doctors are adamantly telling us that his situation is very touch and go and that the slightest of problems could become fatal.  The original information that we passed on from Friday may have many of you thinking that he is doing significantly better, but in fact that is not the case.  HOWEVER, he is still alive and we really need you to continue to pray.

Currently the main area of concern for doctors is that his heart is not beating as strongly as it needs to supply his body.  It is significantly improved since the diseased pericardium was removed and the pressures are much lower in his heart which is a good thing.  However they are having to use high quantities of medicine to keep his blood pressure up.  His need for oxygen support has significantly decreased and many other of the indicators they are watching are looking fair.  Right now, the best news is probably his kidney function.  The kidneys are producing a fair amount of urine and the Creatin level that is measured to check kidney function is improving.

Doctors told us today that typically the heart function improves within 48 to 72 hours after it has some time to recover from the trauma of the heart surgery.  If this happens, it will be good news.  If it does not improve in that time frame then we may have some major problems to overcome including the possibility of still needing a transplant.  They also told us that he may remain unconscious and on the ventilator for up to a week.  Right now they believe this is due to the after effects of the anesthesia and not a sign of a neurological problem.  They have said the combination of how critical he was when he went into surgery and the fact that his kidneys are not very good at filtering the anesthesia will cause him to be very slow in regaining consciousness.

What happened Friday was truly a miracle!!  What was going to be a surgery that left him with very little hope of survival actually turned in to a surgery that may have given him another chance at living.  We are so grateful that God decided to allow Billy to have this fighting chance.  Billy has been so strong during this whole ordeal and we are hoping that with God's help he will survive this and live to enjoy more years with us here. 

July 8, 2005 - Update #2
Update 7/8/05 - Billy's doctor just came out and spoke with the family.  It is indeed the condition called constrictive pericarditis.  The changed the course of the planned surgery and have attempted to correct the problem they actually found.  It is possible that this may have become a curative surgery. The doctor said he is very optimistic about Billy's condition.  They will know more about his prognosis in the days to come.  We are very thankful that Billy had decided to proceed with this surgery because this is what allowed the doctors to find out that his condition was different than they thought.  It appears that the two conditions mimic each other.  It is unclear now as to how this misdiagnosis occurred, but we are grateful that the outcome of this surgery is better than we ever expected!  We thank you for your prayers and ask that you continue to pray him through his recovery period.

July 7, 2005 - Update #2
Update 7/7/05 - Things once again have changed drastically.  We received very bad news this afternoon that Billy's health has worsened even further.  They have now removed Billy from the transplant list.   As you can imagine, this was devastating news for us to hear.  Billy's only hope now, besides a miracle, is for them to try the Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) device.  This is a very risky procedure that will require a 4 to 5 hour surgery.  It is scheduled for noon on Friday, July 8. 

So many people have asked if we need anything.  Honestly, all we need right now are your prayers that this surgery will be successful and that it will buy Billy some time until he can be well enough to get a heart transplant.  We truly appreciate all your prayers and the constant support that each of you have given to our family in our time of need.  Thank you from each of us!

July 7, 2005
Update 7/7/05 - As we have learned, things can change drastically in just a few hours either in a good way or a bad way.  This morning brings some bad changes.  For the last 24 plus hours Billy's brain is reacting negatively to his situation.  He has become very confused and combative when he is awake and they are being forced to sedate him constantly.  It appears his brain is not getting the oxygen it needs and this causes this panic type mental state.  His body is filling up again with the fluids and the dialysis does not seem to be able to keep up with it and this causes him to not be able to breathe properly and causes his blood to become more and more toxic.  It is very hard to as a family for us to watch him go through this.

There are two teams of doctors working his case.  The first is his primary cardiologists or medical team and the other is the surgical team that would do either the transplant or install the Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) if we moved in that direction.  Today the surgical team is saying it is time to proceed with the Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) surgery because of his deteriorating condition.  We have not heard from the medical team today with their opinion and it may be this afternoon before we do.  Once again, please be praying for us as a family and for all the doctors that we make the decisions that are best for Billy and that would be what Billy would desire.  This is the most difficult thing any of us have ever faced and we truly covet your prayers. 

I am not sure if every one is aware who actually updates this site.  It is being done by Billy's oldest son Eddy.  Because I will be in B'ham for the next few days, we may be a little slow in updating this site.  We will try to put some quick updates out, but please be patient with us during this time. 

July 6, 2005 - Update #2 for today
Update 7/6/05 - Billy's primary doctor visited today and is still encouraged.  He was aware of the possible UTI but did not seemed to concerned about it and there is no fever present.  The doctor said that all of the medical indicators that they look at are good and he is stable.  They are also trying to make it where Billy would at least be able to sit up in the bed and possibly a chair.  The reason he has to lay down 24/7 now is that the ports that the dialysis machine is connected to is in his groin area.  They had tried twice to get it to work out of a port in his neck but it would not.  Today they are going to try to put a port in his shoulder and hope that it will work for the dialysis.  If so, that would allow him to sit up in bed and possibly a chair.  This would be a GREAT thing from a mental and emotional stand point for Billy.  We are to a point that Billy's condition is constantly changing, so please check back for later updates

July 6, 2005
Update 7/6/05 - Billy's condition is extremely fragile.  For the most part his medical condition is somewhat stable but he is showing signs of weakening and is having some serious struggles with the frustrations of being forced to stay in the hospital bed for such a long time.  Also today they have told us that they think he may have a urinary tract infection and they have started antibiotics to deal with that.  We are not sure how this will effect his receiving a transplant, we are waiting to hear about that today.

He really is so close but yet so far.  As of now, he is still in Status 1A and should receive the next available donor's organs.  Doctors thought they had a donor on Tuesday (7/5) but the donor's heart was too large to work in Billy's body.  The doctors are telling us that he is precariously close to being too sick to receive the transplants he needs.  If that becomes the case then we would have to face the option of having the surgery to install a Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) .  As you may have read in the previous updates this is a procedure that is not really designed for patients with his condition and it is a very, very risky procedure.  In addition to the risk, it is a very difficult surgery to undergo and he would have a very difficult recovery.  Billy says he does want to proceed with that option if we get to that point.  As far now, our prayers are that he would receive the transplants and we would then focus on recovery.

Thanks again for you continued prayer and support!!!

July 3, 2005 - Comprehensive Update
Update 7/3/05 - As you probably already know, Billy's condition took a very serious turn for the worse on July 1st.  Several problems culminated at once causing him to hit bottom.  The most serious was that his blood became very alkaline, almost 10 times more so than it should be.  His kidneys had started to fail and his blood was very toxic.  Doctors placed him on a constant but gentle dialysis that was successful in removing the toxins and as of 7/3 the doctors said the labs on his blood work was perfect.  A serious side effect of this last event is that he is now pretty much in full kidney failure and will now definitely require a kidney transplant in addition to the heart transplant.  He will be required to remain on the dialysis 24/7 until he receives his transplant.  His condition now is once again very cautiously stable and as we have already seen, he is very fragile.  It really is a miracle that he survived this last round of problems!

Another significant event that has also occurred is that Billy is now on Status 1A on the Heart Transplant List.  This is the highest level possible and reserved for the sickest patients.  According to doctors the first heart that comes available in his blood group will be transplanted to Billy.  UAB is a regional transplant center and receives all hearts donated from Alabama and Mississippi as well as parts of Georgia and Florida.  In addition to the upgrade to 1A he was also approved to receive a cadaver kidney.  This means he will be able to receive a heart and kidney from the same donor and his son Greg will not have to be a live kidney donor.  We owe a great deal of appreciation to Dr. Benza and the rest of the medical staff that worked very hard and effectively to have Billy's status upgraded and have the kidney donation approved.  This was no easy task.  Doctors told us that they had never seen the process to upgrade to 1A and have the cadaver donation approved happen so fast and with so few obstacles.  We certainly believe it was a combination of the excellent work of the UAB medical team and the divine intervention of God because of the prayers of His people!  It really is a "two edged sword" to be placed on 1A status.  The negative is this status means his health has drastically declined and the doctors believe that Billy can only survive about 2 more weeks without a transplant.  The positive is that he is sitting at the top of the list and we feel confident one will come available to him during this time.

Finally, in the last update we mentioned the possibility of a pretty radical surgery to put Billy on a Ventricular Assist Device (VAD). This would be a last ditch effort to extend his life when and if he became to sick to remain on the transplant list.  It is possible that if he is not transplanted soon that his condition could deteriorate to a point that he would be no longer be eligible for transplant.  If this were to occur the doctors have brought up the option of implanting the VAD to try to extend his life and allow for him to regain enough health to undergo a transplant.  This is a VERY serious and risky surgery.  The VAD is not really designed for Restrictive Cardiomyopathy and the surgeons would actually modify the way the device would be installed to accommodate the condition of Billy's heart.  There are many possible risk involved in doing this and many of those risk are deadly. The chances of success with this would be on the low side, but it would be a last ditch effort when death would be imminent anyway because of the Restrictive Cardiomyopathy.  Billy and his family have to make a decision on this in advance because there will be a very small window of opportunity to try this.  We obviously are praying that a transplant occurs and that we will not have to consider this option but please pray for wisdom if we have to make this decision.

For now we are holding on to a great scripture from God's Word..."They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31

WE COVET YOUR CONTINUED PRAYERS!!

July 1, 2005 - URGENT UPDATE
Update 7/1/05 - Billy's condition has taken a serious turn for the worse.  Several problems have developed including significant kidney failure.  His weak heart is progressively getting weaker and it is starting to take a toll on his entire body.  Doctors began a 24 hour dialysis on him Thursday hoping to clear out toxins that are in his body and causing some serious side effects.  This is a less intense form of dialysis than normal because his body could not tolerate the typical dialysis and it will be limited to 24 hours.  Doctors are also bringing up the option of doing surgery to implant a heart assist device.  This device is not designed for patients with Billy's condition and is an EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE move.  Billy's family will be meeting with doctors on Friday morning to have this procedure explained to them in detail and then will begin the process of making decisions as to what needs to happen next.  There are very significant risks involved with this procedure and the odds of a positive turnout are low.  However, if Billy does not receive a heart in the next few days or weeks, it also appears that his chances of survival are very slim.  PLEASE BE IN PRAYER for Billy and his family!  The next few days are going to be difficult and some very difficult decisions will have to be made.  The need for a heart is greater now than ever.  As a family, we are obviously having serious struggles but we realize that even though we do not know what tomorrow holds, we know Who holds tomorrow!  God is in control and as Babbie Mason's wonderful song says..."When you can't trace His hand...trust His heart".  That is where we are at and we would covet your ongoing prayers.  Thanks!

June 29, 2005
Update 6/29/05 - Stable but Fragile still seems to be the best description of Billy's health.  He has suffered some setbacks the last couple of days.  Most importantly is the build up of fluid in his lungs.  X-rays of his lungs showed an increase in the amount of fluid in his lungs and they are removing some of that fluid today.  His blood pressure has also dropped and he just appears to be feeling worse and weaker.  The doctors have been encouraging him to get up and walk more and hopefully he will heed their advice.  When he feels bad, it is hard for him to get motivated to move around, but we are all encouraging him to try to do more.  The lengthy stay in the hospital also seems to be taking a mental and emotional toll on him.  His spirits do seem to be dropping some.  We are going to try some new things to encourage him but it really is difficult.  Please continue to pray!!  Also, he probably would not admit to it too much, but he really does enjoy getting cards and notes of encouragement in the mail.  THANKS SO MUCH to so many of you who have already sent him cards.  If you would like to send him a card or letter, the address for that is...

June 20, 2005
Update 6/20/05 - Not many changes to report.  According to the doctors, Billy's situation is pretty stable but very fragile.  His doctors are fairly confident that they can keep him stable for a while longer as we await a transplant, but they also remind him that he is in a very fragile condition and the balancing act that they are performing could very quickly and easily be disturbed. The medical team is monitoring him very closely and issues continue to pop up that have to be dealt with, but so far they have been able to correct most of the problems that have occurred.  His blood work is closely monitored for problems with his Potassium levels, Sodium levels, etc.  He is having some problem dealing with just being confined in a hospital for such a long time, but his spirits seem to be doing pretty good.  Please continue your prayers for him and Joanne.  If you would like to drop them a card or letter please feel free.  Their temporary address there in Birmingham is...

June 13, 2005
Update 6/13/05 - Since being put in the hospital last Tuesday the medical staff at UAB have been successful in getting Billy back to a stable condition.  The diuretics they have been using have helped him lose several pounds of the fluid and this obviously makes him feel some better.  His vital signs have remained stable and they are keeping a close watch on things like his potassium and sodium levels which have caused some concern but nothing too serious.  In a statement of the obvious, one of his doctors told him this week that "He was sick as sin." as he answered Billy's question about his condition.  Billy already knew this, but he kind of got a kick out of how the doctor verbalized it.  We still anxiously await for a transplant!

Also, if you are interested in dropping Billy and/or Joanne a card you can send it to their temporary address at the UAB Townhouse that they have rented.  That address is...

June 9, 2005
Update 6/9/05 - Because of complications Billy was readmitted to the UAB Heart Transplant ICU two days earlier than planned.  The ascites or fluid build up in his abdomen was extreme, he had put on almost 30 lbs. of fluid weight in the last two weeks. This basically was causing him to almost be drowning from the inside out.  We contacted his doctors on Tuesday (6/7) and they had us bring him back in quickly.  Once in the hospital it was determined that he had developed a slight case of pneumonia in his left lung and his body was definitely feeling other negative effects from the massive amounts of fluid in his body.  The doctors have started him back on multiple diuretics to remove some of the fluid but are taking a cautious approach with them this time because of his bad reaction to the high level of diuretics used last time. At this time, he appears to be stable and some of the fluid is moving as a result of the diuretics. 

As it stands now, the doctors plans are for Billy to stay in the hospital this time until he receives his transplant.  The range of medical problems that he is having requires extremely close medical attention to manage and to keep him stable.  Please continue to pray earnestly for Billy and Joanne!!

June 3, 2005
Update 6/3/05 - Billy was released from the hospital late Thursday (6/2) afternoon for a few days.  Doctors have instructed him to take the next few days to get things in order at home and then prepare to come back to stay.  The plan now is for him to be re-admitted to the UAB Heart Transplant ICU next Thursday and this time they plan to keep him until he receives his transplant. His condition has stabilized but he is still very weak.  In another development, doctors told him that the can not perform any more of the Abdominal Taps also referred to as parencentesis.  This is the procedure where they pull the large amounts of fluid off his abdomen. They have said that it will "kill" his kidneys if they tried this anymore.  The problem is that he has massive amounts of this fluid (they have been removing between 5 to 7 liters every 2 weeks or so) and it also moves into his legs and feet and causes great discomfort, difficulty in breathing and can cause other problems.  They have put him back on a single diuretic medicine but it will not come close to dealing with this problem.  This will just be something he has to live with and hope that it will not cause other serious problems.
Please continue to pray for Billy!  His need for this transplant has drastically increased and our prayer is that it will happen for him soon.

Another issue we would appreciate you praying about is Billy's wife Joanne.  In addition to the obvious amount of physical and mental stress this process has been for her she is having extremely bad back problems.  She has suffered from back problems for years but she has been having serious back pain over the last 6 weeks or so.  The last couple of days it has intensified to the point where she is almost completely debilitated by it.  She has received treatment from both a Orthopedic doctor and a Chiropractor.  Please pray that her back heals over the next few days so that she will be able to provide the care to Billy that she wants and needs to when he is re-admitted to the hospital next week.

June 1, 2005
Hospital Update 6/1/05 - Billy continues to gain back some of the ground from the setback this past weekend.  He is gaining back some of his strength and his kidneys are slowly but surely showing signs of recovering .  The Creatin level that they measure to test the function of his kidneys continues to drop which is a good sign.  Also, the results of the liver biopsy done last Friday came back and everything looked fine with it.  This is great news!!!  He did not need that type of setback.  A BIG THANKS TO EACH OF YOU WHO HAVE CONTINUED TO PRAY FOR BILLY...OUR ENTIRE FAMILY IS VERY GRATEFUL!!

May 29, 2005
Hospital Update 5/29/05 - Billy is still in the Heart Transplant Intensive Care Unit at UAB.  His condition has changed several times.  On Friday evening and night he had a serious set back but has stabilized since then.  His blood pressure dropped significantly Friday night and the doctors had to stop all of his diuretics and start him on a medicine to help increase his blood pressure.  The doctors believe this was probably caused by extensive amount of diuretics he has been on.  We all knew that this was pretty much a tightrope we were walking and unfortunately we slipped off the rope for a while.  Another side effect may be some stress that has been put on his kidneys.  His kidney function worsened during this time and has still not completely recovered.  At this time the doctors are not extremely concerned about any permanent damage to his kidneys.  The decision on what to do about the diuretics will be made in the next few days. We also are still waiting to hear from the liver biopsy that was done on Friday.

May 27, 2005
Hospital Update 5/27/05 - Billy is still receiving treatment at UAB Hospital.  He did develop a Staff Infection earlier in the week, but apparently the doctors were able to get it under control fairly quickly.  They are continuing to adjust his diuretics in an effort to manage the excessive fluid build up in his abdomen and are still trying to be sure he is properly nourished.  One problem with the diuretics is that they diminish his potassium level and he is having to receive dosages of potassium to keep him at the proper levels. Another concern has also risen with his liver.  The analysis of the fluid drawn from his abdomen has shown a possible liver problem.  He is undergoing another liver biopsy today (5/27) to see if any type of liver disease or damage has developed.  We hope to know the results of this test soon.  The doctors have said they are working hard to keep him stable and ready to receive a transplant when one is available to him.  Check back here for updates on the liver biopsy and any other developments. 

May 22, 2005
Hospital Update 5/27/05 - Billy was hospitalized on Thursday 5/19/05 and things have gone fairly well.  He is responding fairly well to the new meds.  He did have an incident Saturday evening where his blood pressure bottomed out, but it recovered back to an acceptable level within a couple of hours.  He appears to be resting well and seems to actually be somewhat glad to be in the hospital where he can get appropriate medical care.  It was becoming difficult to look after all of his needs at home.  As of now, there is no estimate as to when he will be released from the  hospital.  The doctors have stated that they are concentrating on getting and keeping him stable so that he can do well when he receives a transplant which probably means he will not leave the hospital until he has received and recovered from the transplant.

May 20, 2005
Billy was hospitalized on Thursday 5/19/05 - The doctors at UAB hospitalized him to try to administer some new meds to hopefully give him some relief while waiting for his transplant.  They also said that he was malnourished probably because of the excessive fluid build up in his abdomen.  The doctors started one of two possible meds on Thursday.  The other may be started later but there are some fairly serious side effects possible from that.  He is tolerating the first med very well so far.  In fact, his blood pressure has actually risen which is a good thing since his has been extremely low.  The other meds may be added later based on what his doctors decide. They will also try to deal with the malnourishment while he is in the hospital.  We do not know right now, but we believe there is a very good chance that he will remain in the hospital until a transplant happens.

May 13, 2005
Two Significant Updates from this week - First, after two days of intense medical evaluation we found out that Billy's youngest son Greg WILL be able to be a live kidney donor.  Billy's doctors wanted someone on standby to donate a kidney in case his kidney's failed after the heart transplant.  This was a significant hurdle that had to be cleared before Billy could receive his heart transplant.  A big THANKS to Greg for being willing to make this sacrifice.

 The second update is that Billy's doctors is considering trying a medication on Billy to try to relax his heart some so that it might be a little more efficient in it's pumping.  The doctor is not sure if this will help or not, if it does he does not expect it to be significant.  However, in order to administer this new medication they will have to hospitalize Billy.  Next Thursday they will return for an appointment to see the doctor and they will make the final decision then.  If they decide to go ahead they will probably admit him on Thursday.  As of now, we do not know the length of hospital stay that will be required.   It would be wonderful if his transplant were to become available shortly after he is admitted. 

May 11, 2005
Billy's youngest son Greg starts evaluation - Billy's youngest son Greg will begin a two day evaluation at UAB on Wednesday May 11th.  The evaluation will be to see if Greg will be healthy enough to give Billy a kidney in the case he needs one post heart transplant.  We are praying that Greg will be qualified to donate, but we also pray that the need will never become a reality.  The kidney doctors who have examined Billy really believe that his kidneys will survive and actually improve when he receives a new heart, however they want to be sure that they have a "Plan B" in place.  Check Back over the weekend and hopefully we will have the results of the evaluation.

May 5, 2005
Significant Update On Billy's Health  (05/05/05) - Billy has had two days of appointments this week in Birmingham.  Monday he saw Dr. James Kirklin who is the Director of the Heart/Lung Transplant Program at UAB.  Dr. Kirklin expressed a major concern about Billy's kidney failure and the potential complete failure that might happen after heart transplant.  He went on to say that Billy would not be able to receive a heart transplant until there was some type of plan on the table in case his kidneys continue fail after that. You might remember that the kidney doctors and an independent Nephrologists had previously told us that there was no reason to be concerned about the kidneys at this time.  There has been an ongoing "Philosophical Difference" between the heart doctors and the kidney doctors about the kidney failure.  The kidney doctors strongly believe that the kidneys will improve after the heart transplant and that they should not become an issue.  However, the heart doctors think post transplant kidney failure could be a real concern and they have stipulated they will not allow the heart transplant until a plan was in place to handle any kind of post transplant kidney problems.  Billy's youngest son Greg was already scheduled to undergo an evaluation to see if he could be a live kidney donor, however that was not going to take place until the end of this month. Dr. Kirklin also ordered another heart cath to see the condition of his heart compared to the last cath in December.

May 2, 2005
Billy Sees UAB Director of Heart and Lung Transplant Program - Billy saw Dr. James Kirklin on May 2nd.  Dr. Kirklin is the Director of the Heart and Lung Transplant Program at UAB.  Dr. Kirklin is revisiting some of the issues that we have dealt with in the past.  In particular he is still concerned about Billy's kidney function after his transplant.  He said his intentions are to work with the Kidney doctors to be sure a plan is on the table in case the kidneys start to fail after the heart transplant.  Billy's youngest son Greg is scheduled to start the evaluation process in late May to see if he would be a suitable live kidney donor if that becomes a need.  Dr. Kirklin has also requested another heart cath be performed.  The heart cath along with visits with the Heart Transplant doctors and Kidney transplant doctors will take place on Thursday May 5th.  Please keep Billy and his doctors in your prayers!

April 20, 2005
The Greenville Advocate Does a Story - Billy and Joanne both grew up in the Greenville Alabama area and the hometown newspaper there has done a very nice story on Billy's transplant need.  Click here to read the story.

April 12, 2005
No need for a kidney for now - There has been some concern that Billy might need a kidney transplant in addition to the heart.  His kidneys have shown signs that they are failing and it was becoming a real concern.  However after a visit with a Nephrologist (kidney specialist) at UAB on 4/11/05 that concern has lessened.  The doctor said that his kidneys are indeed showing signs of failing but right now they are not bad enough to require a transplant.  If fact, she really seemed to think that when he receives his heart that the improved blood flow might help his kidneys improve. They will continue to monitor this in case it this changes.

April 9, 2005
Donations - Billy is now setup with The National Transplant Assistance Fund (NTAF) Fund to receive monetary donations on his behalf.  Donations can be made by Check or Credit Card.  See the How To Donate page to learn how.

March 29, 2005
Good News - According to Billy's Transplant Coordinator at UAB they have moved him up to level 1B on the transplant list.  This is the second tier in priority.  The top tier (1A) is for patients with only about a 2 weeks life expectancy with out a transplant so he will be in the tier right below that.  Typically level 1B  is for patients who doctors believe do not have the typical 6 to 9 months to wait on a heart, but they are not facing imminent death.  The unique thing about Billy's condition is that it is so rare that there really is not much data to predict how his condition will progress so there really is not a true way to put a time frame on him.  It is apparent though that his condition has worsened over the last few months and the quicker a transplant can come the better.

Several Fund Raising events will be coming up soon.  They include a Golf Tournament, a Raffle and the Auction of a very special item from a very popular Country Music Star that is being donated specifically to help Billy.  Stay tuned!

Today is the official beginning of this website.  The purpose of this site is to allow family and friends to keep up with Billy as he awaits his heart transplant and to be here to keep you updated when he goes for his transplant!