5/18/2025
Jarret Stuckey on the Mend
Jarret Stuckey is doing good with his LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device), and is working towards a heart and kidney transplant. The doctors want to do a transplant within a year, because of his Auto Immune Disorder he has a higher chance of infection.
Jarret has to stay on a high dose of immunosuppressants to keep the Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) form of Vasculitis in negative numbers (remission), which was achieved while in the hospital. The goal is to keep it that way. He has a line coming out of his stomach that attaches to a control device and two large batteries. They want to close that hole to prevent infections.
The GPA causes his heart issues by destroying two main Aorta Arteries on the left side of his heart, so basically he had a Widow Maker heart attack on January 24. Doctors told the family if he would have been 50 years of age or older he would have not made it through the episode. His right side of the heart is only beating at 20%. Unfortunately, doctors feel it will not improve, so a heart transplant is necessary.
This disorder is extremely rare. He is the youngest on record to be diagnosed with this, and is the first patient to have a LVAD installed with active GPA.
Doctors took a large risk on Jarret to give him a LVAD. In fact, his team of doctors told the Stuckey family that Jarret had a fan club in them because he was so young and to nothing at his fault he is fighting this so they wanted to do everything possible to give him a longer life.
The heart failure team got very emotional talking to the family. They said he is not supposed to be here fighting this at 26 years old. It's not right, but they will do whatever it takes to keep him alive and healthy.
Four surgeons flew in from different heart hospitals to watch the surgery, because they have never seen a heart up close in person with active GPA. They are doing medical journals on Jarret so people can learn from him, and that it a successful recover can be achieved.
Jarret and the Stuckey family would like to send a heartfelt 'thank you' to all the folks, who have been praying for him. Your prayers have worked, and the family cannot thank everyone enough. His journey is not over but the family has faith.
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