Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Andy Birkholz returns home after heart transplant



Lester Prairie teenager Andy Birkholz, 16, is doing just
fine after having a heart transplant June 30.

“Everything is going very good so far,” said
Andy’s dad Doug Birkholz. Andy’s mother is Patty and his sister is Amy,
14.

Andy came home late last week. He is limited to visitors
so he doesn’t get any kind of “bug,” Doug said. “He had lots
of calls in the hospital.”

Andy had the transplant at Fairview University of Minnesota,
East Bank, after spending only two weeks on the donor list. The call came
in at about 9:30 a.m. that morning that a heart was ready.

“The surgeon told us the surgery went ‘fabulous,’
and that everything is going well,” he said. The surgery lasted four
hours.

Andy became ill around Memorial Day weekend.

A member of the school golf team, Andy was golfing when
he started having flu-like symptoms, Doug said. “He had walked an 18-hole
course and was more tired than normal.”

“Within a week we found out his heart was in very
poor shape,” his dad said. He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, meaning
something in his body suddenly attacked his heart.

“The doctors can’t say for sure what caused it (cardiomyopathy),
but they think it was most likely a virus,” he said. “There is
no way to ever know for sure.”

Andy’s prognosis is excellent. “This surgery should
be all he needs. The biggest concern is rejection,” Birkholz said.

Andy will be on anti-rejection drugs for the rest of his
life, his dad said. “It’s a minor sacrifice.”

“He’s an inspiration,” said Brian Korf, an assistant
football coach, boys varsity basketball coach, and fifth grade teacher in
Lester Prairie.

“Andy’s very outgoing, active, and works hard. He’s
a goal-setter,” Korf said.

Andy is a three-sport athlete in football, basketball,
and golf. He plays guard in basketball.

“He is a very dependable person. He’s a good teammate
and the kind of player coaches want,” Korf said.

“He’s telling coaches he’s sure looking forward to
basketball. That’s his goal,” Doug said. “He should be able to
do everything that he was doing before.”

Andy was at both Children’s Hospital and Fairview University
of Minnesota, East Bank the month of June, following the diagnosis after
Memorial Day weekend.

He tried to go home with some medication at one point in
June, but he had to go back to the hospital, said Andy’s uncle Gordon Birkholz
Jr.

Doug and Patty stayed at the Ronald McDonald house, which
was only five minutes away from the hospital, he said.

“It’s a beautiful facility,” Doug said of the
Ronald McDonald house.

Andy will have doctor appointments twice a week for about
a month and gradually, it will be less, Doug said.

The Birkholz family is grateful and thankful for all the
support they have received from the community of Lester Prairie and other
surrounding communities, Doug said, as well as being very appreciative of
the donor family.

“Thank you to everyone who kept us in their prayers
and for the phone calls, e-mail, and cards,” he said.

“When a person needs their community, it’s there,”
Doug said.

Doug said many people have asked how they can help, and
the Birkholzes suggest people become donors themselves.

At last weekend’s Bulldog Shootout 3-on-3 tournament, a
free-throw benefit took place for Andy.

Andy will be a junior this fall. He will celebrate his
17th birthday Sept. 27.

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