Does Getting Someone's Heart Change your Personality?

So, I sold my "lemon" BMW with my old heart and with the new heart bought a big Toyota tundra truck. With a truck, I stopped listening to Coldplay and now I can't get enough country music from Jamey Johnson, so what is going on? Is this really me?

According to a research study from Quality Life Research, Heart transplantation is not simply a question of replacing an organ that no longer functions. The heart is often seen as source of love, emotions, and focus of personality traits.

To gain insight into the problem of whether transplant patients themselves feel a change in personality after having received a donor heart, 47 patients who were transplanted over a period of 2 years in Vienna, Austria, were asked for an interview.

Photos: Taking my daughter Eden fishing for the first time months ago

Three groups of patients could be identified: 79% stated that their personality had not changed at all postoperative, meaning after the transplant surgery. In this group, patients showed massive defense and denial reactions, mainly by rapidly changing the subject or making the question ridiculous.

Fifteen per cent stated that their personality had indeed changed, but not because of the donor organ, but due to the life-threatening event.

Six per cent (three patients) reported a distinct change of personality due to their new hearts. These incorporation fantasies forced them to change feelings and reactions and accept those of the donor.

Verbatim statements of these heart transplant recipients show that there seem to be severe problems regarding graft incorporation, which are based on the age-old idea of the heart as a center that houses feelings and forms the personality. 1

I don't believe my personality has changed although I have been greatly influenced by circumstances surrounding my transplant, which includes a more adventurous life.

Even though I only had a single ventricle I experienced all the joys of childhood. I was fortunate because my heart defect didn't limit me or at least I didn't think so.

I loved the outdoors which included; camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting. My extended family gathered every summer in the mountains of Wyoming and periodically we'd stay at a cabin in the Uintahs. I learned to Ski and looked forward to each snow fall. I was an Eagle Scout and had earned the coveted Mile Swim badge.

However, this adventurous life was taken from me in my fourteenth year after getting a bacterial infection in my heart. This required a difficult surgery. The following year I had reconstructive heart surgery. Because of the circumstances I lost the energy I once knew. Exercising in high altitudes caused me severe nausea. I quickly learned skiing, hiking, and some of the other things I enjoyed was not possible. It was all a memory for me and I often experienced deep nostalgia and sadness.

I adapted to my new life. Unlike before the reconstructive surgery, crowds now bothered me and I often felt claustrophobia. I turned inward, often felt shy, and learned to enjoy other things. I discovered music, art, writing, and found great purpose in sharing my talents. Eventually, I became more active in school and later the community. Yet, I still missed an active outdoor life.

Then came the heart transplant.

When you're dying you wonder what the possibilities would be if you only had a second chance. I began thinking of all the things I would like to do or try with a four chamber heart.

I made a list. Most of the list involved recreating the memories of my childhood for my girl Eden.

It's been over a year since the transplant and I am finding myself with different tastes in music, art, and how I like to spend my time.

I am free from tubes and illness. My mind is free from thinking I might be leaving this world. I am excited for each new day and dread evenings and sleep.

With each new day, and if there is any personality influence it would be because of my love and respect for two people who have passed on to the other side. One is my donor and the other my younger brother.

My fondest memories of my brother, are times sitting around an evening campfire and waking up so freezing cold in October Brian and I weren't sure if it was worth it to get up to hike the hills. Maybe his influence in my life is what drives me to embrace everything in the natural world?

I think about my donor everyday. Because I didn't know him I'm not sure I have any of his personality traits, but I know he was extremely active and healthy. He loved being outdoors and made friends easily. He enjoyed crowds.

Am I different? Has my personality changed because of my heart transplant? No. But, I believe we are always learning, growing, and gravitating towards new things and old habits. And we are influenced by those we love and those we admire.

I embrace my donor as my own brother and experience the same grief in losing him as I did in losing Brian. Until I am with them, they are welcome to live through me.

1 (B. Bunzel, B. Schmidl-Mohl, A. Grundböck and G. Wollenek, Quality of Life Research, Volume 1, Number 4, 251-256, DOI: 10.1007/BF00435634) Read the Full Article