Dolores B . Interview


Dolores started with a pacemaker and ended up with a new heart. Through heart attacks, a transplant she didn't know she had until her sister told her, and a doctor mistaking her for dead, her humor and faith kept her going.

Dolores: My name is Dolores and I had a heart transplant at UCLA. When they told me about my heart transplant it was five years ahead, and at first I didn’t believe it. But later on they put in a pacemaker and stayed with that pacemaker for four years. Then I started getting sicker and sicker so I went to the doctor and then he told me that I just had a year to live. But I couldn’t have a heart transplant or nothing like that because I have no welfare, no social security, nothing wanted to help me. So then they told me that I just six months. That’s when they sent me to UCLA to have a test, and they told me I could stay there because I was very sick. I couldn’t even breathe or sit down or nothing. That’s when I just stay there in the hospital.
Q: What were your fears while you were going through this.
Dolores: Well I didn’t really get any fears because I wasn’t scared at all. Some days I’m think what is wrong with my head because when they’re telling me things like that I just said “OK” you know. Even the doctor was looking at my husband and said “Are you sure that you know what I am telling you?” I say “Yes, but what can I do? I mean if I’m going to die I’m going to die, you know”. Because I couldn’t find any help, nobody wanted to help me, and so that’s why, you know, what can I do? But I was maybe a little scared but not really, I mean, that really worry me. But I never tell my family or nothing that the doctor gave me six months, so I was keeping all that to myself so that nobody will worry.
Q: How did your husband help you?
Dolores: Well not really that much because he was very sick. He didn’t know that I had those six months to live and he was very sick so I couldn’t tell him anything. He was in bed and couldn’t even walk that much and that’s why I didn’t really any support from him. He knew I was sick because I couldn’t stay in bed at all. I couldn’t find my place so most of the time I was just sleeping at the table with a pillow like that or in a chair. I was moving all around.
Q: When did they come in and tell you were going to have a transplant.
Dolores: I find out when they sent me to the hospital, that day you know, they didn’t let me go out because I was really sick. So they just put me in the hospital and about three days later I thought I was OK, by then the nurses came all around me and said, “You’re having a heart attack”. I said, “How can I be having a heart attack I don’t feel anything”? And even the doctor got mad at them because they told me. But I didn’t feel but they had the machines where they can see everything there. But I stay there and they do a lot of tests to me. They put me in a lot of things, some were hurting.
Q: Tell me about the last time you saw your husband before your transplant.
Dolores: Well the first time when they told me that I was going to have a heart transplant, well I was kind of worried because of my kids and all that. But everybody there they were helping me and not to worry about it and everything was gonna be OK. But I ended up going back to my room because that heart had hepatitis. So I went back and I stayed about another week until the other heart came. But when I had that other surgery nobody told me about it, that I was going to have that surgery until I came out of surgery. And I was kind of surprised because my sister was telling me, “Oh yeah sister you already have your new heart”. “Oh don’t lie to me, I’m all right, I’m still here”. But I didn’t even know, you know. “Don’t tell me that I’m a liar, you already have your heart”. So until the doctor came and start telling me then you know. So that’s why I didn’t worry about my surgery because nobody told me about that, that I was going to have the surgery. And after that I was very sick and then I couldn’t even move because I lost my strength from my waist down. I stay two months in the hospital there. And then they sent me to St. John hospital to recuperate myself for another month. So I was very sick. I could see some others that have surgery and they come out like in a week. And I was still there in the hospital so I thought there is something wrong with me. But they never told me nothing else. And then one day one of the nurses told me, “I want to take you out of the room so you can be different you know, so that you can feel better”. So they put in front of the office with a blanket and all that. And then somebody was screaming a lot in there. And then the doctor came and he say, “Is Mrs. Bojorquez dead already”? Ha ha, you know, so don’t tell me, and then I just raised my hand, “No no, I’m still here”! And he was really uh, feel bad because he say that in front of me. So I thought well maybe they knew that I was really sick and they thought I was going to pass away.
Q: How did that make you feel?
Dolores: No I was happy, I was just happy you know because it was like a joke to me when he came and say that. So I never take nothing serious and then one of the things that, you know, I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but that’s the way I am and I can’t help it.
Q: I’m the same way with that bright outlook. And also your family, how did they handle it?
Dolores: I think they were worried, they helped me all the way. My husband was there with me too. He was in a wheel chair but he was there and helping me. Well everybody was worried because they thought I wasn’t going to make it because they were ready to do my surgery and the heart wasn’t there yet, I think. It wasn’t there yet so they thought I wasn’t going to either.
Q: When you went home what did the nurses tell you.
Dolores: Well they gave me all the medications, the doctor gave me all the medications, and all the things that I’m supposed to eat and whatever I don’t supposed to eat. But it was about a month later that I lay down and I broke seven ribs. So it was worse to me than the surgery, I mean it was so painful that one, so I couldn’t even move for another month in bed. And I still have to go to Los Angeles for my biopsy. It hurt a lot. Because my daughter she used to take me out of the hospital because that was supposed be every week. So she was taking me from the hospital to UCLA to have the biopsy. And then it was every two weeks, and then it was every three weeks, and now it’s every six months. But I don’t like that but still go and do it.
Q: What was your life like when you came home?
Dolores: When I came home I was happy to be home. I couldn’t walk or nothing like that, to me it was kind of hard. And my daughter was the one who was always taking care of me, and my husband. But with six kids that she had it was kind of hard for her. But we managed one way or another. I was happy but at the same time I was sad because I couldn’t get up, I couldn’t do anything.
Q: What would to tell someone who just found out that they have to have a heart transplant?
Dolores: Well I’d tell them to donate those hearts because we all need, all the people who are sick, they really need it. There’s a lot of people that can donate hearts or part of their body or whatever they can. Because we don’t think we need it until we really need it, and I think it’s best to donate whenever we can.
Q: If I was going to have a heart transplant, what would you tell me to make me feel better?
Dolores: Oh just to be brave and uh, to hope everything goes well and God will help you. God always has to be in there with us. Because without God, if you don’t have any faith or nothing like that I don’t think it is going to work. So it’s always God has to be with us.