I am not a medical person, but I think heart transplants are still fairly common. The difference is that their success rate is fairly high now, so you don't read about them that often. I remember a couple of years ago there was a big spread in the newspaper here showing a large group of people of all ages who were succussful recipients. They were having a reunion at the heart unit and were all wearing matching T-shirts (with a heart on their breasts, of course).
Prayers up for your niece and for your on-line problems. We can't lose your valuable input to FR.
St. Luke's Houston is one of the finest institutions in the country. I used to live in the Houston area when DeBakey was active there. He was a real pioneer with this surgery.