Congestive Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Support
My father was a banker in Southern California. While he was driving home from work, he was in a car accident that damaged his spine to the point that he was paralyzed from the neck down for six months. After two surgeries, would would learn how to walk again and have full use of his body. After that, he suffered a massive heart attack which lead to a quadruple bypass that would save his life; but it would not last. His doctor told him he would need to have a heart transplant. After several years of degradation, he would wait four months at Loma Linda University Medical Center as an inpatient for a donor heart to become available that was a match. When his heart was down to four percent function, a heart came in and was screened for transplant. Post-transplant, is was discovered the donor heart had a diseased valve and would only last four years. Once placed back on the transplant list, he received a second heart that was transplanted and has continued to last him more than ten years.
In my Heart Presentation, I talk about family support in preparing for transplant, rehabilitation post-transplant, rejection preventions with medications and spiritual/emotional support of family and loved ones, and the experience of celebrating each day of life with heart transplant.
Renal Failure, Dialysis, Kidney Transplant Support
After a hypertension stroke caused renal failure, my mother would spend a year working to keep away from dialysis with holistic medicine up until she became end stage symptomatic. After an emergency CV Catheter Port in her chest leading to her heart, she would continue her life having three dialysis treatments per week at DaVita Dialysis. The CV port would be temporary, a more permanent solution in hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis would be necessary. After a peritoneal catheter insertion surgery failed, she would have an emergency colostomy surgery to save her life, and a reversal surgery after four months. She would then have the option of hemodialysis via “Arm Fistula” or “Graft”. Various complications would arise in her path towards a kidney transplant, but her faith and family kept her through the fight.
In my Dialysis presentation, I talk about each form of dialysis, in center vs in home dialysis, the importance of nutrition and a renal diet, the road to kidney transplant, and the faith and family support that keeps us alive.
Chaplaincy
Chaplains are growing in number in the United States and abroad to meet the spiritual, emotional, and practical needs of people serving in military, hospitals, and industrial institutions. Receiving the proper training in the field of chaplaincy is essential. My own training came from Foursquare Chaplains International, The Vineland Police Chaplains Program, and Critical Incident Stress Management/Group Crisis Intervention provided by the Hannibal Regional Healthcare System. Our responsibility in confidentiality and empathy are, in my opinion, paramount in the role of chaplain.
In my chaplaincy presentation, I talk about the struggles of working in compliance and resolving conflict in the workplace, along with personal testimonials to inspire the next generation of incoming chaplains. If you feel being a pastor, church planter, or missionary is not the right ministry for you, I encourage you to take a look at chaplaincy.
If you are interested in becoming a member of Foursquare Chaplains International please click here for more information.
Inquire or Book An Event.
Tomko speaks with audiences of all types: School-age, College-level, Adult, Small and Large Groups, Open and Closed Events. Each event is tailored to specifically address the needs of each audience. Click on BOOKING and you will be redirected to facebook to inquire availability.