Giving thanks: Heart transplant gives former Badgers QB Bohlig a fresh start | Front Page

“I believed, ‘What the heck is that this? I’m not that previous,’ “ Gregg recalled in a current interview.

In typical vogue for Gregg, a aggressive athlete who has excelled at a number of sports activities since hanging up his Badgers cleats, his answer was to push by means of it. The lifelong Eau Claire resident figured he simply wanted to work out extra usually.

When that technique didn’t assist, Gregg sought solutions from Mayo Clinic Well being System in Eau Claire, the place a flurry of exams revealed he had a uncommon, incurable coronary heart situation. After pursuing a number of remedy choices, medical doctors ultimately advised him the clock was working out and he had just one possibility left to save lots of his life: a coronary heart transplant.

Gregg, 69, accomplished his Hail Mary in March at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, making it simple to know what to offer thanks for when he sits right down to Thanksgiving dinner right this moment together with his spouse, Barb, their daughter Bethany and their latest grandchild, 6-month-old Rosalie.

“I’m extremely grateful,” mentioned Gregg, longtime operator of a State Farm insurance coverage company in Eau Claire. “It’s a complete new alternative for all times that I didn’t assume was obtainable.”

When exams confirmed that Gregg, who had all the time been wholesome apart from just a few orthopedic points ensuing from a long time of athletics, was affected by a situation referred to as amyloidosis, it was a shot to the intestine. The illness happens when an irregular protein, referred to as amyloid, builds up in an individual’s organs and interferes with their regular operate.

In Gregg, the amyloid attacked solely his coronary heart, step by step decreasing its effectiveness at pumping blood and oxygen all through his physique, mentioned Dr. Daniel Kincaid, the Mayo Clinic Well being System heart specialist who first recognized amyloidosis as a attainable reason behind Gregg’s struggles.

Telling the couple’s three daughters — Amanda, Carrie and Bethany — about his terminal diagosis was one of many hardest issues Gregg has ever needed to do.

As Gregg’s situation worsened, Barb mentioned, “Anybody who did something with him — whether or not it was searching, going for walks or enjoying golf — was extraordinarily conscious that he had no stamina.”

Gregg recalled a daunting episode through which he awoke one evening and felt like he couldn’t breathe. “I felt like I used to be dying,” he mentioned.

As he navigated his challenges, Gregg acknowledged he was lucky to have Barb, a veteran cardiac rehab nurse, at his aspect for each painful step.

“She was wonderful. I clearly gained the lottery there,” Gregg mentioned of his spouse earlier than including with a smile, “however I don’t get away with something both.”

Gregg additionally drew energy from remembering how bravely his father, Roger, had dealt with dwelling with a uncommon type of anemia for the final 15 years of his life.

“What actually was an inspiration to me was how my dad lived these final variety of years after he obtained the analysis,” Gregg mentioned. “He was all the time optimistic, upbeat and prepared for any journey or relationship. He dealt with all of it with such energy and dignity even when he was getting blood transfusions as soon as every week to remain alive.”

Although the prospect of a coronary heart transplant would possibly frighten most individuals, the Bohligs celebrated when Gregg was accredited and positioned on the nationwide ready listing for a coronary heart. It supplied hope.

His comparatively good well being and favorable blood sort made him a robust transplant candidate, however there have been no ensures he would get a coronary heart in time.

“After 4½ months on the listing, nothing had occurred and my well being was getting worse,” Gregg mentioned. “I used to be beginning to actually discover fatigue and shortness of breath. Regular actions have been simply getting progressively harder. I believed I might have simply months to dwell.”

A Mayo Clinic physician in Rochester suggested Gregg to additionally get on the ready listing for a coronary heart by means of Mayo Clinic in Arizona and later steered the Bohligs quickly transfer to Arizona, the place the possibilities of a coronary heart changing into obtainable could be higher.

The couple took the recommendation to coronary heart, packed up the Chrysler City and Nation minivan Gregg jokingly refers to as “the Barbmobile” and drove to Arizona. They arrived in Phoenix on March 10 — with no concept how lengthy they might be staying.

A examine of sufferers on the ready listing for coronary heart transplant at Mayo Clinic in Arizona from 2015 by means of 2017 confirmed that 76% acquired a transplant inside three years, 65% inside a 12 months and 19% inside 30 days.

“We thought it could possibly be three months or it could possibly be a 12 months. We didn’t know,” Gregg mentioned. “And there was no method to know the way lengthy I had.”

Because it turned out, Gregg’s wait was surprisingly brief. The information arrived, appropriately, on the golf course — his sixth straight day of enjoying after arriving in Arizona. His solely actual concession to the illness step by step destroying his coronary heart was to take a cart.

It was early night and Gregg was nearing the inexperienced on the 15th gap whereas {golfing} with Carrie’s father-in-law, Glen, and buddy Pete Koupal of Speedy Metropolis, South Dakota, when his cellphone rang and displayed a quantity he didn’t acknowledge. His first thought was that he didn’t know anyone in Arizona, so it should not be for him.

However he answered the decision and heard these astonishing phrases: “Greg, we now have a coronary heart for you. We’d like you to get in right here instantly.”

It was solely every week right into a wait he thought might take months and even years — if the decision arrived in time in any respect.

“I saved considering that second was method off within the distance. It was simply so surreal,” Gregg mentioned. “I didn’t even get to complete my spherical.”

From the other aspect of the golf green, Koupal noticed Gregg decide up the telephone after which Glen walked over and shared the excellent news.

“I’m considering, ‘OK, let’s get this present on the street,’ however then I see Gregg cling up and drive his cart ahead one other 30-40 yards. Then he will get out and hits his method shot onto the inexperienced,” Koupal mentioned this week, nonetheless astonished on the reminiscence. “I mentioned, ‘What are you doing?’ He mentioned, ‘I simply wanted to hit yet one more shot.’ That’s typical Gregg Bohlig proper there.”

Gregg then referred to as Barb to tell her “It’s go time” earlier than sharing some emotional moments together with his enjoying companions when the truth of the scenario hit residence.

Minutes later, Koupal, a Regis Excessive College graduate who has been mates with Gregg for the reason that two of them lived three blocks aside as youngsters in Eau Claire, dropped Gregg off at his lodge and mentioned, “Hey man, that is it.”

Because it turned out, slight delays in getting the donor coronary heart to the hospital meant the transplant didn’t happen till the next day, March 17, and the luck o’ the Irish was certainly with him on this most memorable St. Patrick’s Day.

Gregg recalled being wheeled into the working room that morning and being mesmerized by all the machines and the whirlwind of exercise. The subsequent factor he knew it was 13 hours later.

“I awoke at 11 o’clock that evening and thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m wondering if I’ve my new coronary heart,’ “ he mentioned.

The dream had come true. Surgeons had lower open Gregg’s chest, positioned him on the heart-lung bypass machine, eliminated his diseased coronary heart that the surgeon advised him appeared like a deflated medication ball and changed it with the center of a donor.

At 10 a.m. the following day, Koupal’s telephone indicated he had a name from Gregg. Koupal puzzled who was calling him on his buddy’s telephone. It was Gregg himself.

As soon as once more, Koupal requested, “What are you doing? Lower than 24 hours in the past you bought a brand new coronary heart.”

Gregg replied, “I’m feeling nice.”

Regardless of the literal change of coronary heart, he tackled post-surgical rehabilitation together with his regular vengeance.

It’s precisely what those that know Gregg would count on from a person who has been recognized for being all-in at every little thing since his days as a three-sport star at Eau Claire Memorial Excessive College, the place he was state participant of the 12 months and a Gatorade All-American in soccer, a second crew all-state guard in basketball and was supplied a contract by the St. Louis Cardinals to play shortstop in baseball. When he took up working, he accomplished 10 marathons, together with his finest time of two:49:34 quick sufficient to qualify for the Boston Marathon. He additionally grew to become a extremely aggressive tennis participant.

As a golfer, he performs almost on daily basis in the summertime and is thought for routinely exhibiting up greater than an hour early to work on his brief sport.

“Who does that? Gregg does,” mentioned Koupal, whose spouse, Patti, sewed Gregg a heart-shaped Badgers pillow together with his previous No. 14 on it that he might hug to ease the ache of post-surgical coughs.

Within the hospital, Gregg, who had pushed himself to be as lively as attainable to get his legs and lungs in the most effective form he might earlier than surgical procedure, was up strolling the day after his transplant.

“I feel it was his third day post-op when he requested the workers if he might strive the steps,” Barb mentioned. “For him to have the ability to do two or three flights of stairs whereas nonetheless within the hospital was a great validator that his coronary heart was doing higher.”

The Bohligs began strolling 2 miles a day exterior as quickly he obtained out of the hospital — simply 13 days after his operation. Shortly thereafter, Gregg hiked to the highest of a widely known rock formation in Phoenix, prompting a proud Barb to declare to different hikers, “I simply must let you know all that my husband simply had coronary heart transplant surgical procedure three weeks in the past.”

Kincaid, the Eau Claire heart specialist, mentioned there is no such thing as a doubt Gregg’s health helped pace his restoration, including, “One in all my issues in caring for him was to maintain him for overexerting.”

His solely noteworthy setback happened two weeks after his discharge when he awoke together with his total decrease physique in ache and barely capable of stroll. The horrifying situation, recognized as each gout and pseudogout, required him to have fluid drained from his feat and ankles. It cleared up in just a few days.

Nonetheless, Gregg saved asking medical doctors when he might return to {golfing}. Finally, they relented, giving him permission to observe his brief sport.

The affected person additionally repeatedly requested his well being care suppliers if it could be attainable to shave a month off his deliberate three-month restoration time in Arizona so he and Barb might return to Eau Claire in time for the beginning of their center daughter’s first youngster. Impressed together with his progress after a number of checkups per week, medical doctors ultimately granted Gregg permission to go residence a month early and proceed his followup care at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

“By the point we left Phoenix, he was chipping and placing virtually on daily basis,” Barb mentioned with a chuckle.

By way of all of it, Gregg is aware of nothing in regards to the supply of the center that now beats in his chest apart from that it got here from a deceased male donor.

The Bohligs have expressed an curiosity in connecting with the donor’s household by means of a corporation that serves as an middleman between the households of donors and recipients, however the final determination rests with the opposite household.

“We’re hopeful to have a possibility to thank that household,” Gregg mentioned, pausing for a second to gather his ideas.

“It’s a bizarre factor to have a medical miracle for you be the results of a tragedy for another person,” he mentioned. “I went from feeling like I didn’t have lengthy to dwell to now realizing some folks have lived with a coronary heart transplant for 20 years or extra.”

That dynamic, Barb agreed, added to the emotion hooked up to getting the decision they’d been awaiting.

“It’s laborious as a result of you recognize that in your pleasure another person is grieving,” Barb mentioned.

Whereas each Barb and Gregg lengthy have designated their need to be organ donors on their driver’s licenses, the idea all the time appeared far faraway from their on a regular basis actuality. Gregg’s expertise this 12 months made the significance hit residence in a method they by no means beforehand imagined.

“Clearly, we’re robust advocates for organ donation,” mentioned Barb, who beforehand had seen the reduction of organ recipients solely by means of her work. “It actually can save lives.”

Because the launch of Mayo Clinic’s coronary heart transplant program in 1988, its surgeons have carried out greater than 1,600 of the procedures in Minnesota, Arizona and Florida. Gregg is considered one of almost 500 sufferers to obtain a brand new coronary heart at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

Whereas Gregg nonetheless is concerned by some surgical negative effects — occasional mind fog and tremors — medical doctors have suggested him these ought to fade away inside a 12 months. He’ll, nevertheless, be required to take anti-rejection medicines for the remainder of his life to assist his physique settle for the brand new coronary heart.

Within the meantime, he has been capable of return to the roles he loves: husband, father, grandfather, enterprise proprietor and athlete.

“Between right here and Rochester and Arizona, Mayo undoubtedly saved my life,” Gregg mentioned. “It’s laborious to wrap your head round the concept that they will take out your previous coronary heart and provide you with a brand new one. I’m actually grateful to be alive at the present time when medical know-how has superior so far as it has.

“It makes you’re feeling actually blessed. God is nice and gracious.”

To point out his appreciation, Gregg mentioned, “I’m making an attempt laborious to not screw it up,” that means he’s devoted to consuming proper, exercising and taking additional care to keep away from COVID-19 as a result of his medicines possible have knocked out a lot of the safety he acquired from vaccinations.

Pals, household and his State Farm workers have been unbelievably supportive all through his well being care journey, Gregg mentioned, giving him but one more reason to be grateful on this vacation.

A relieved and grateful Barb summed up Gregg’s progress this manner: “I feel he’s doing rather well.”

Koupal, who performed golf with Gregg all 4 occasions he visited Eau Claire for the reason that transplant, mentioned the advance in Gregg’s well being from a pair years in the past when he wanted to relaxation after a 30-yard stroll is gorgeous.

It’s a comeback much more exceptional than his Badgers profession spotlight in 1974 when he fired a last-minute, 77-yard landing cross to Jeff Mack that defeated fourth-ranked Nebraska 21-20 in main the crew to its first successful season in 11 years.

In an indication that his newest comeback is sort of full, Gregg earlier this month traveled to South Dakota for a five-day pheasant searching journey with Koupal and 4 different mates.

“You would inform he was slightly drained on the finish of the day, however he walked each area,” Koupal mentioned. “He wasn’t lacking a lick.”