Coshocton Ohio Resident Gets Heart Transplant For Christmas

By Kathie Dickerson

Tribune Staff Writer

COSHOCTON -- Bobbi Guinther, 28, received a present she had been awaiting since April. On Monday, Dec. 23, she had a heart transplant.

Guinther had been staying at the Ohio State University Medical Center's Rhodes Hall since April. She needed the drug dobutanine, which is administered intravenously, to keep her alive.

"She got a great Christmas present," said Marilyn Pongonis, manager of communications for LifeLine of Ohio, which oversees after-death transplants in central Ohio. "She got it late Monday night and is in a critical stage of her recovery right now, but we're all very happy for her and her family."

Guinther's stepmother, Gloria Meredith, agreed. "It was a wonderful Christmas eve morning," she said.

Guinther was still in the intensive care unit and was not available for comment. However, she's doing well and should be moved from ICU into her room by the end of the week, according to Meredith.

"She said she didn't know what to give her dad for Christmas, and he said that (the transplant) was the best Christmas gift ever," Meredith said.

When she was just 17, Guinther learned she had a heart problem. She had dilated cardiomyopathy, a common form of heart muscle disease. The entire muscle was weak and pumped poorly, which caused breathing difficulties, tiredness, dizziness, chest pain and an irregular heart beat.

She led a fairly normal life until earlier this year when the condition prevented her from doing her job. She was working as a guard for Ohio Security at the General Electric plant in Coshocton.

Then what she thought was a case of the flu sent her to Urgent Care on Feb. 5. After performing an electrocardiogram, the staff called an ambulance to transport her to Coshocton County Memorial Hospital. From there, she was sent onto OSU Medical Center.

Guinther was admitted and discharged from the hospital several times over the next couple of months. In March, doctors thought she had a heart attack, and, at one point, they weren't sure she would live through the night.

After kidney dialysis and treatment with a new drug -- the dobutanine --Guinther was allowed to go home again. However, ensuing checkups showed she wasn't getting along well without dobutanine, which is given intravenously.

Guinther was admitted to Rhodes Hall on April 23, to wait for a heart.

Approximately 600 central Ohio residents are waiting for organ transplants, according to Pongonis.

"Some people think because they have bad eyesight or hearing or a certain disease they can't become organ donors," Pongonis said. "That is so untrue. If you want to donate your organs, you sign up for the program. Determination of what organs you can give will be made at the time of death. Don't ever eliminate yourself. Maybe your eyes aren't that good, but you have a great set of lungs. Or other organs. The doctors will determine what is good and can help."

Pongonis said one donor body can save up to seven lives and help at least 50 others.

"This is truly a gift of life," Pongonis said. "We have so many waiting for transplants right now. What better gift to give someone than to know that you helped someone live or see or whatever. It's just the greatest feeling."

Lifeline of Ohio wants those who wish to be donors to discuss the decision with family members, so "everyone understands this serious, but wonderful decision," Pongonis said.

Anyone wishing to register may go online with Lifeline of Ohio at or you may file with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles Web site at

"This is a wonderful, wonderful, gift," Pongonis said. "What better Christmas present can you give yourself by signing up to be a donor and knowing that you will someday help so many people."

Kathy Thompson of Gannett News Service contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2002 Coshocton Tribune.

This article posted January 11, 2003.