Tim Kingsbury's Journey to Heart Recovery: Back to Enjoying the Beach After Myocarditis

My name is Tim Kingsbury and I am a software tech engineer from Ventura, CA. I lived a healthy lifestyle and at age 43, I had never experienced any medical issues. One day while at work, I began feeling short of breath and exhausted. I went home and my wife, Barbara, insisted on bringing me to Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, CA. Once I arrived, I went into cardiac arrest. Physicians discovered I had developed myocarditis that caused me to go into cardiogenic shock. The interventional cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Loussararian, implanted the Impella CP® heart pump to support my heart and allow it to rest. I was then transferred by helicopter to UC San Diego Health for a possible heart transplant. However, after three days of Impella® support, my heart function improved and Impella was weaned and explanted. I remained in the intensive care unit for two weeks while my body recovered. After 25 days, I returned home to my wife. Today, my heart has fully recovered. I’m back to work full-time and enjoy golfing, photography, and going to the beach. I am so grateful for the medical staff who made my recovery possible.