“It feels surreal,” Lynne says, smiling. “I had my transplant just three weeks ago and I’m surprised how quickly my strength and energy have come back. I’m not in pain and feel absolutely fine.
“If someone had told me beforehand that I might be home three weeks after a heart transplant, I’d never have believed them!”
Her voice carries both relief and wonder. After everything she’s endured, Lynne is rediscovering the simple joy of feeling well.
Her journey began in May 2024, when what she thought was a sickness bug turned out to be diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) - a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes. Her GP sent her to A&E, where her heart suddenly went into an irregular rhythm.
“I was very lucky it happened in A&E,” Lynne recalls. “They tried giving me medication first, but when that didn’t work, they gave me ketamine and shocked my heart back into a normal rhythm.”
The greater surprise came later: tests revealed Lynne had suffered a major heart attack without any symptoms, leaving her with significant heart failure.
“I have a condition called Turner Syndrome which can cause heart issues,” she explains.
“I'd had regular ultrasounds and MRIs, and nothing had ever shown a problem. Then suddenly, this happened. I had no major pain, no breathlessness - nothing. It was shocking to learn so much damage had been done without me even knowing.”
Medication helped for a while, but further tests, including a right-heart catheterisation, revealed the full picture.
“They told me I needed a heart transplant. Without it, I was given a year to live.”
Lynne after her heart transplant
Nine months in hospital
From March 2025, Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust became Lynne’s second home. Her sister visited every weekend and her parents visited so regularly that one staff member affectionately called them ‘Mum and Dad’.
Lynne filled her days with reading, puzzles and prehabilitation exercises to keep herself in the best shape possible while waiting for her transplant.
“There’s so much in this journey that’s completely out of your hands. But having a routine, something I could control, really helped,” she explains.
Then, eight months’ later in November 2025, came a call neither she nor her parents will ever forget: a donor heart might be available.
“We couldn’t believe it,” Lynne says, still wide-eyed at the memory.
Soon afterwards, she was taken to the operating theatre, where around 20 staff members gathered to see her off.
“I was already emotional, but seeing everyone standing there really overwhelmed me. The care at Royal Papworth has been incredible. When they talk about ‘the Papworth family’, they truly mean it.
“The support I’ve received has been amazing. Everyone has been rooting for me, and I’ve felt genuinely cared for.”
After her transplant, Lynne spent six days in critical care before returning to the ward, where the physiotherapy team helped her rebuild her strength, stamina and coordination day by day.
Lynne with her parents, Mick and Jean
The little joys
When asked what she’s missed most over the past months, Lynne laughs: “Home-cooked food and my own bed! The food here has been good, but I’ve missed fresh pasta, and I can’t wait for a nice chicken and vegetable stir-fry.”
For her, real happiness comes from the simple freedoms she went months without.
“I’m looking forward to going out somewhere without worrying about stairs or hills. And of course, Christmas. Having Christmas at home is going to be the best thing ever.”
Lynne's mum, Jean, sums it up perfectly: “When Lynne asked about Christmas presents, we told her, ‘Our best Christmas present is having you home, we don’t need anything else’.”
During her stay at Royal Papworth, Lynne enjoyed visits from our Pets as Therapy (PAT) dogs as well as reflexology sessions and manicures funded by Royal Papworth Charity – small comforts that helped her through the long months of waiting.
Her optimism and resilience shine through. Looking back, she realises just how poorly she'd become.
“I think it’s only now I’m starting to realise how unwell I felt. You just get used to it because it becomes your normal.
“But every day I was in hospital I thought, ‘I’m a day closer to getting home’.”
And this Christmas, being home feels more precious than ever.