NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The sound of a heartbeat, strong and in rhythm. It's something many of us take for granted. But never 28-year-old Jordon Hensley.
Hers is about to give out. Jordon's heartbeat once belonged to 12-year-old Ashley Paine.
"She was on the list, I think, 15 days. And we received the heart from the little girl who is from Oak Ridge, Ashley Paine, who will forever be grateful to her family,” said Jessica Williams, Jordon’s mother.
Jordon was born with a rare congenital heart defect. When she was between 7 years old and 12 years old, she had five open heart surgeries. The last one was a transplant. While most organ transplants last about ten years — Ashley’s heart has beat inside Jordan for almost 17 years.
On Jan. 29, Jordon collapsed while working as a vet tech at Young Williams Animal Shelter. She was taken to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. She coded three times in eight hours. She was diagnosed with Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy. It's something that usually affects heart transplant patients within the first ten years.
Jordon is now at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in need of another heart. Last Tuesday, a committee of more than 60 Vanderbilt Medical Center staff voted against putting Jordon on the transplant list.
“She asked the doctor, ‘So am I just supposed to die?' And they said, 'Well, we've exhausted all our options,'” said Emily Majors, Jordon’s sister.
The committee's reasoning for not giving her another heart includes a lack of medical insurance and a small amount of THC that was found in her system. Jessica said those reasons could be explained.
She said without insurance, she receives a grant from Vanderbilt for her medicine. With insurance, she may not be eligible for the grant and may not be able to afford her medication. She also said Jordan had back pain and did not want to take opioids. So, she used marijuana to manage the pain, Jordan said.
Jessica said Jordon has stayed healthy for the past 17 years, and doctors told them Jordon’s done nothing to cause this to happen, and there is nothing she could have done to prevent it.
“I would want them to look at Jordan as a person and not as a number, not as a file in front of you. Come by, get to know Jordan for who she is,” said Jessica. “Listen to what the mother of the heart that she has, has to say.”
"I’ve gotten to know Jordon. I’ve been to her graduation, when she learned to drive. I’ve gotten to watch her grow up and it’s been an amazing experience and I’m so thankful she got my daughter’s heart and a second chance at life,” said Laurie Paine, Ashley’s mom. “I am really hoping she is able to get back on the donor's list."
Another heart transplant is the only option for Jordon.
"She will pass away. There's no if, ands or buts — she will pass away," she said.
A shared heart, taking her through many milestones, with many more hopefully ahead.
Jordon Hensley is asking a committee of 60 people for just one thing — another chance to live.
A statement from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center about Jordon is available below.
“Given the scarcity of donor organs, transplant centers are obligated to undertake a careful and deliberate approach to assessment of patient candidacy for transplantation.
All patients seeking heart transplantation at VUMC undergo the same evaluation for candidacy and are held to the same standards for waitlisting, to ensure that we as a program are doing right by all our patients and those awaiting transplant. We are committed to honoring the gift of life provided by a donor and his/her family and being good stewards of this scarce resource.”
Jordon and her family started a GoFundMe to help pay her medical bills and other bills while the family stayed in Nashville with Jordon. You can donate here.