My name is Wayne Anthony Canty.  As a young man, I thought I was invincible. I never would have believed anything like having congestive heart failure could happen to me. Just when it seemed like things could not get any worst, my life changed forever.

I really did not know how serious this illness was until later. All I knew was that I was constantly having to go to the hospital because my legs were swollen, and I had to get fluid drawn. No matter how many times I felt sick and had to go to the hospital, I just knew that it could not be serious because I had never been seriously ill in my life. Each time I was admitted to the hospital I felt that I would be released but things got worse, and I was admitted back into the hospital and this time I was in a coma.

I stayed in the private hospital for about seven days for an evaluation test. After being there for seven days, the doctors decided to transfer me to a public hospital in the Augusta area where I could be closely monitored by heart cardiologist Dr. Leslie Walters. After being at the hospital for a few more days, doctors Walters and Clarke came to the decision that I needed to have an AICD (Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) implantation because my injection fraction, also known as an EF, was less than ten percent. The reason for having the AICD implantation was due to my diagnosis with having a non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy class three congestive heart failure.
I was referred for implantation of an AICD for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death, but not to mention that my blood glucose was elevated at 425, with my sugar level being elevated, now I needed extra attention not only to get my heart under control, but to control my diabetes as well. After spending several days in the hospital, the staff was able to stabilize my body. At this point, it was up to me to maintain and control what the staff had put in place.

I was diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy (Congest Heart Failure) and transported to a Hospital in Atlanta Georgia. While there, I was diagnosed with Cardiac Non-Compaction (Sponge Heart Disease).  The only true treatment for this disease is a Heart Transplant. I had been approved by the Georgia Transplant Foundation for the post-transplant medication and I had been placed on the transplant list when other complication developed. The community came together to help raise the money for the transplant.

I received my first device The DuraHeart left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is the world's first approved magnetically levitated implantable centrifugal pump.
I soon developed an infection which resulted in the device having to be removed but it also meant having to go through another open-heart surgery and my body going through dramatic changes.
                                      
I stayed in ICU for over two weeks after the Heartmate II was implanted because my body was so swollen from the removal of the first device that they could not close me up.     
  
The changes my body was going through made me wonder if I would ever be myself again. It was at that time I was encouraged to document my story having gone through my second open heart surgery.         
In August of 2020 while returning home from Sandersville, GA.  I was run off the road into the middle guard rail. The accident totaled my car and the officer stated I never should have walked away from it after looking at how much guardrail my car took out. I honestly believe there is a calling on my life. The other driver never stopped.

In 2019 I begin to experience trouble with fluid retention once again and found myself going in and out of the hospital. Despite all I did it seemed that I could not get control of it and it began to affect my ankles to the fact that it bothered me to walk. I eventually ended up being admitted to University Hospital in November of 2020 and remained until I was transported to Duke University in a last effort to save my life. It was there I found out the second device I carried to save my life was now infecting it and had to be removed. I needed a heart and kidney transplant.

Following both transplants, I regained the color in my skin, but I was not out of the woods. There remained an infection in my body which the doctors struggled to find and delayed my recovery. I spent my birthday with a feeding tube, but I was thankful that I was alive.

The infection was discovered in my chest and left me with a womb which must heal for me to move on with my life, but I am beyond blessed. Although I stayed in Duke University Hospital for two more months, God has kept me and ordered my steps as I continue to do his will all while waiting patiently for my body to heal. Although I have lost everything and will have nowhere to stay once I leave the Grace House, I look forward to getting back into the community and doing Gods will.
                                 
Inspirational Speaker                                  University Hospital Heart LVAD Patient Ambassador

Question/Answer Session related to Congestive Heart Failure


ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL AMBASSADOR

Mentor Moses Missionary Baptist Church

                Community Service

As a Businessman, I consider myself a man of favor to be here in Durham, NC and given the opportunity to heal in a home named Grace. It has truly been God’s Grace that has kept me even having lost my mother four years ago and with so many things stacked up against me. I never lost my Faith. Look at me now. Three open heart surgeries, numerous hospital stays, two LVAD device implants, three major infections, and a heart and kidney transplant and I am still here.