Late last year, 64-year-old Larry Johnson and his wife Alzena were trying to enjoy what they thought were his last few weeks. After being diagnosed with end-stage heart failure and a severe infection and told he may not survive, they were left in the hands of heart failure expert Catherine Marti, M.D., who has since helped Johnson make a miraculous recovery.

Johnson’s journey began in June 2017, when was referred for a basic aortic valve replacement procedure to replace a damaged valve, repair an aortic root and also to fix a blockage in one of his heart’s arteries.
 
“Because I was in good health, my doctor said it’d be a good time to do it,” Johnson said. “It was an open heart procedure, but everything went very well.”
 
Six weeks after his open heart surgery, Johnson’s health was continuing to progress, as he and his wife returned to their normal activities in the community and started exercising together again.
 
Not long after, however, he started to experience some complications. Though the procedure had been successful, doctors found his heart wasn’t pumping properly. He was diagnosed with severe congestive heart failure and introduced to Dr. Marti, with Piedmont Heart Institute of Athens, who helped set up a treatment plan for his heart failure.
 
When the Johnsons returned home from the hospital for the second time, they knew they’d be adjusting to a new normal, but the future looked bright for Johnson’s health. That new normal didn’t last long.
 
“One day I noticed a lump under the scar where I had open heart surgery. It hadn’t been there before,” Johnson said. The lump continued to grow quickly over the next few days, doubling to around the size of a lemon, according to Johnson.
 
Johnson suddenly felt very ill and was rushed to Piedmont Athens Regional once again.
 
“When Mr. Johnson got to the emergency room and was examined, we quickly found that he had infective endocarditis, which is an infection in the heart valves or the chambers of the heart,” Dr. Marti said. “People who have other heart conditions or have damaged heart valves, like Mr. Johnson, are at high risk for developing this type of condition.”
 
Infective endocarditis is a serious condition that requires prompt medical treatment, according to Dr. Marti. If left untreated, it can be fatal.
 
By the time it was discovered, Johnson’s infection had become so severe, it’d caused irreversible damage to his heart.
 
“Because of its severity, his surgeon reopened Mr. Johnson’s chest to help clear the infection,” Dr. Marti said. “We also began treating his infection with antibiotics, however, his severe heart failure complicated matters and it became clear that he might need a heart transplant. Once he was stabilized here in Athens, we transferred him to Atlanta for an inpatient evaluation for heart transplant.”
 
Once they arrived in Atlanta, Johnson and his wife patiently waited as the heart transplant team worked to determine if Johnson was a candidate for a heart transplant.
 
“After waiting, the whole transplant team came into Larry’s room,” Alzena Johnson said. “They told us there was nothing they could do for him. If they were able to get him a new heart, his infection would infect that heart as well.”
 
The family was sent home thinking this might be the end. Knowing how sick he was, they began to plan for the worst, even meeting with a funeral director to make arrangements for Johnson.
 
“We were also sent back to see Dr. Marti, who wanted to do her best to help Larry with whatever tools were available, even though he wasn’t a candidate for transplant,” Alzena Johnson said. “She started him on numerous heart failure medications, including IV medications and sent us home with around-the-clock care, including a nurse who would come clean out Larry’s infection.”
 
Though the Johnsons were physically exhausted, Dr. Marti wasn’t giving up on them, so they weren’t giving up either. They saw Dr. Marti every other week, and by January 2018 Johnson was starting to improve, beating the odds.
 
“We used everything in our arsenal to help Larry,” Dr. Marti said, “Using drugs, drips, devices and extensive teaching on heart failure self-care combined with close follow ups, we were able to significantly improve his heart function and also his quality of life.”
 
Johnson now sees Dr. Marti every three months for follow ups. “We did everything Dr. Marti said to do, and it’s now over a year later and he’s still here,” Alzena Johnson said. “We thought this condition was going to take him.”
 
In August, Johnson was not only able to celebrate another birthday, but also to celebrate his health. His wife and family threw him a surprise party to recognize this journey and celebrate his recovery. Although it’s been a tough journey, Johnson is continuing to regain his strength and heal.