He’s Disappointed; Doctors Cite ‘Medical Risks’ : Schroeder Can’t Go to Son’s Wedding

Artificial heart recipient William J. Schroeder will not be able to go home for a son’s wedding this weekend, as he had hoped, because of “medical risks,” a hospital spokesman said today.

Implant surgeon William C. DeVries ruled out the 90-mile trip to Jasper, Ind., said the spokesman for Humana Hospital Audubon, Bob Irvine.

Schroeder’s son Terry is to wed Julie Schnarr at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Saturday.

Shortly after receiving his plastic and metal pump, Schroeder said attending the wedding was among his main goals for survival. But Irvine said doctors felt “Schroeder’s medical recovery would be jeopardized by a trip of that magnitude at this particular time.”

Saturday will mark Schroeder’s 112th day on the artificial heart. The first recipient, Barney Clark, died on his 112th day with the device.

DeVries told Schroeder that the trip would not be allowed, and the 53-year-old federal retiree indicated he understood “what Dr. DeVries was saying,” Irvine said.

Schroeder’s daughter Cheryl said that family members were disappointed and that Schroeder himself seemed the most unhappy.

Schnarr said the news was like “cold water in the face,” especially to her future father-in-law. “You’re telling a man he can’t make it to his own son’s wedding. I guess I’d be a little upset too,” she said.

Meanwhile, Murray P. Haydon, Schroeder’s only living peer, experienced discomfort Wednesday, and a small amount of fluid was drained from his right chest cavity, Irvine said.

“In that fluid was very little blood. Dr. DeVries indicated the problem is not serious and that Haydon slept well through the night,” Irvine said.

Haydon, 58, underwent surgery March 2, 14 days after receiving his Jarvik-7 pump, and doctors plugged a tiny hole in his right atrium, or upper heart chamber, that had been leaking blood into his left chest cavity.