A mother has been reunited with her two sons after spending more than six months in hospital for a heart transplant.
Nicola Sharpe, 48, from Southend, Essex, was admitted to Cambridge’s Royal Papworth Hospital in August for heart failure treatment and remained there after a series of complications.
After 190 days, she is reunited with her sons, aged nine and twelve.
Ms Sharpe said she thought the day would “never come”.
Due to Covid restrictions, Ms Sharpe rarely saw her children during her hospital stay, the majority of which was spent in intensive care.
“That first hug with my boys is one of the most special moments in my life; it’s the moment that kept me going — it felt like it would last forever,” she said.
“There were many moments when I thought that day would never come.”
Her husband Peter died seven years ago of a sudden and unexplained heart condition, and Ms Sharpe said it gave her extra determination to recover as she “didn’t want to [her sons] losing both parents”.
“They asked me some pretty tough questions like, ‘Are you going to die like dad?’ and ‘how are we going to live without you?’” she said.
“It gave me even more will to survive.”
Ms Sharpe was left breathless during an escape in July 2020 but only sought advice in September this year when the same thing happened again.
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She was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at Southend University Hospital and referred to Royal Papworth – the world-renowned center for heart transplants and treatments.
Her condition worsened and she was fitted with a pacemaker, but she was admitted back to Papworth in August 2021 after blood tests indicated further problems.
She went into cardiac arrest in the hospital, which damaged her heart and made her unfit for other treatments.
High pulmonary pressure also meant that at one point she was unsuitable for a transplant and was referred for palliative care.
The transplant team came up with a new plan and she was fitted with a BiVAD – a pump that supports both sides of the heart.
She received a transplant in January.
Consultant transplant surgeon Steven Tsui said, “Nicola’s journey has had more ups and downs than most roller coaster rides.
“Against all odds she made it through and what a wonderful moment to see her reunited with her sons.”
Ms. Sharpe and Mr. Tsui urged others to talk to their families about organ donation to help save more people.
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