Priscilla French

Priscilla French vows to 'make them all proud' by protecting her new heart.

Priscilla French never expected that her quick swim in Lake Pleasant near Phoenix in September 2005 would lead to celebrity status. Not because of her considerable skills as a swimmer, but because that particular swim left her gasping for breath and in dire need of a life preserver.

That was out of character for Priscilla, then 59, of Scottsdale, Ariz., who usually acted on every opportunity to swim distances. Even more out of character was the subsequent finding by cardiologists that Priscilla, who proudly made the claim that she "never had a sick day in her life," was suffering from serious heart disease.

That led her to Mayo - and to the honor of being the first heart transplant at Mayo Clinic in Arizona on Oct. 19.

Mayo was approved to perform heart transplants in Arizona in September 2005 and began evaluating patients shortly thereafter. When Priscilla French was admitted to the hospital on Sept. 28, she was sick enough that she needed to improve before she would even qualify to get a new heart. She was temporarily outfitted with two ventricular assist devices — titanium heart pumps that would keep her heart going enough to make some repairs to her weakened heart. She fondly referred to the power source as "Mr. Frosty," insisting it resembled a small refrigerator.

Finally the day came when she had improved enough to be listed for a heart transplant. Late in the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 19, Priscilla was told that a heart was on its way, designated for her.

Her first thought, once she digested the startling news, was sadness. "I thought about how another family was going through such a tough time, making the decision to donate. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for their courage and generosity," recalls Priscilla. "Then I got excited."

Dr. Francisco Arabia, surgical director of heart transplant surgery, sprang into action, assembling the team that was designated to fly to another medical center to pick up the heart. Time was of the essence, since the human heart stays usable for less than six hours.

Surgery began at 7:30 p.m., led by Dr. Arabia and a team of specialists, all of whom had participated in a number of dry runs to rehearse all the possible scenarios leading to that first heart transplant. By Dr. Arabia's standards, the eight-hour surgery was uneventful, although considerable caution was taken because of bleeding due to blood thinners that Priscilla had required. Her new heart was pronounced a good match in terms of blood type and for her body weight.

Priscilla was discharged from the hospital on Nov. 9 - but not until she faced a number of reporters and a bevy of TV cameras to mark the moment. "I'm usually not lacking for words," she admits. "But seeing all the cameras and my whole medical team out there to say goodbye - it was almost overwhelming. I know I better take care of myself to make them all proud."