Go Joe! A Journey of Two Hearts

He had it all. A successful career, a supportive wife, a loving family - and a failing heart. This story follows the trials and tribulations of one man as he faces the gamut of medical crises. Go Joe! A Journey of Two Hearts is a memoir written by the wife of heart transplant recipient, Joe Bavoso. Ms. Bavoso brings you through the maze of decisions, hospitals, doctors, nurses, and medical personnel. The constant ups and downs emotionally on both the patient and those of his family sometimes seem overwhelming. This story follows their journey from start to finish. You read, in Joe's own words through journal entries, his optimism and hope for the future. This story will leave you with a lump in your throat but with the mantra Go Joe! ringing in your ears and the message to never give up, even when the odds are stacked against you.

He had it all. A successful career, a supportive wife, a loving family - and a failing heart. This story follows the trials and tribulations of one man as he faces the gamut of medical crises. Go Joe! A Journey of Two Hearts is a memoir written by the wife of transplant recipient, Joe Bavoso. Jane Bavoso tells, in honest detail, the long road through which one must travel to reach the goal of a coveted transplant. The maze of decisions, hospitals, doctors, nurses, and medical personnel is mind-boggling, to say the least. The constant ups and downs emotionally on both the patient and those of his family sometimes seem overwhelming. The narrative reveals their journey from start to finish. It shows the strength, perseverance, and love of one family for the husband and father who heads it. It allows us to see both their days of euphoria and their days of complete disappointment and misery. It is a story of the strength and fortitude of a man who would not give up, no matter the circumstances. Joe was determined, against all odds, to come home to the family and life he loved. He never lost sight of his goal, even when that possibility sometimes seemed slim. We read Joe's own words, in journal entries he kept from the beginning of his ordeal which he always referred to as his journey. He never abandoned his plans for the future. He never gave up hope to be able to play with his grandchildren once again. This book will leave you with some tears but also with some cheers for the family who fought so hard to get their loved one healthy again. It will leave you with an inspirational message, Never Give Up. Fight the Good Fight. Push Harder. Always Want to Win. Never doubt it can be done.

Jane Bavoso was born in Brooklyn, NY where she and her husband met as teenagers. They married in 1968 and in 1975 moved to Long Island, NY with their two children. Jane started writing during the long illness of her husband, Joe. She would send out what she referred to as her updates to family and friends who were following the journey of Joe's heart failure and the eventual two heart transplants he underwent in a matter of three weeks. The updates were informational but as she realized later, they were also therapeutic. A long-time friend encouraged Jane to join writing groups. She discovered she had a love of writing and soon had many stories published in local newspapers and magazines. This book is the fulfillment of a promise she made to Joe, to keep his memory alive. Jane wished for their grandchildren to know of his courage and strength. This book is a tribute to Joe.