The Climb of My Life: Scaling Mountains with a Borrowed Heart

This is an amazing story about medical miracles, undaunted courage, steely determination, steadfast love, and ultimate triumph. While most of us won't face the sorts of challenges described here, there are many lessons to be learned. The inspiration of Kelly's story is a gift. If you want an exciting story about real adventure, this book is for you. If nothing else, this book should inspire every one to become an organ donor.

If you have a heartbeat, you'll find this book moving and inspirational. What would you do if you were a healthy, active, outdoors person and suddenly became sick -- very sick? This is not a theoretical question for Kelly Perkins and her husband Craig. "The Climb Of My Life" is the story of an athletic, healthy young woman who was blindsided by a heart infection that almost killed her. Kelly is alive today because she received a heart transplant, a miracle made possible by medical science, and because of another woman's forethought (her donor's), her own will to live, and Craig's dedication. But Kelly did more than survive. She was determined to reclaim the vigorous outdoor life she once led, even though doctors and others cautioned her that this was unrealistic. Not only did Kelly survive and regain her former vitality, she accomplished something that few "normal" people ever achieve: climbing some of the highest mountains in the world, while speaking all over the world about the importance of organ donation. Those who have met or know the Perkinses, as I do, were already aware of the general outline of their compelling story. But it was only upon reading the book that I became aware of their struggles, despair, hope, and joy. This is a wonderful story, told with honesty and humor.

Gertrude Stein once observed, "Everything is so very dangerous that nothing is really very frightening." In The Climb of My Life, author Kelly Perkins takes us to places far past the so very dangerous to tell us over and over that life is not about losing heart. On loan for us all in this candid personal narrative is a close study of sacrifice--both ultimate and intimate--and one woman's commitment to live her "after life" reinventing the limits of what we all take for granted as that thing we call the known. Kelly and her indefatigable partner, Craig, do something Kelly's surgeons could not: They take the heart out from the cavity of the chest and place it into our hands so that we might, for a moment, let us say a heartbeat even, experience this organ as a source of life more infinite than our own.

From her warm and wonderful heart to ours, and so well written one would think Kelly has been an accomplished author all of her life. I can't begin to count the many life lessons learned and absorbed while reading Kelly's story. And here I am, an old geezer in my mid 60s learning about life from a young whippersnapper like Kelly. Thanks for your wisdom, your outlook and all you do for others. And, Craig, thank you too for your amazing energy and support.

Due to the generosity of her donor and her donor's family, Kelly is given the gift of a renewed life. Kelly shares her and her husband Craig's deeply personal struggles. Craig's incredible unselfish love and devotion, combined with Kelly's courage and determination, enables the pair to focus their 'new' lives on overcoming obstacles in order for Kelly to prove her strength to herself and this duo to spread the word of Organ Donation to the world. An inspiring real-life story with fascinating details of Craig and Kelly's mountain climbing challenges and adventures. One can't help but register for Organ Donation in honor of Kelly and her donor. (In CA, Donate Life California - [...]).