“I got my heart and kidney transplant done at the same time,” says 61-year-old Frank Poblete, who was admitted to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after having heart problems since 2001. “I stayed here for about three months waiting for a new heart and in the meantime, my kidney started to fail. One kidney was working, but they knew it would eventually fail and if I didn’t get a kidney transplant I’d have to be on dialysis. I was very fortunate that I got both organs from the same person. I was okay waiting for three months because I knew what I was waiting for. They do wonders just to make you comfortable here. They treat you like family. Before, even with a pacemaker, I felt tired all the time and couldn’t walk any distance. Now, I don’t get tired. I could keep walking and walking.”

Tags: Cardiology, dialysis, featured, heart and kidney transplant, heart problems, heart transplant, kidney transplant, pacemaker, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Surgery, Transplant