Many of you have known that I have been on a list for "Double Lung"
transplant for a while now and I just wanted to take this time to
let everyone know what has been going on in my life. Needless to
say my life has been a whirlwind the past few weeks here. I'll try
to explain the best I can. Although there is no real way to
explain the emotions that I have. It is a very personalized
experience, and only one that can be understood if you are feeling
it firsthand. Nevertheless I will try.
At 17 months old I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. Some of you
may know what this is. For the others that don't, it mostly
affects my Respiratory and Digestive systems. To date there is no
Cure for this Disease (but they are getting closer). The digestive
part of my disease can be easily treated with enzymes etc., but the
Respiratory portion of the disease takes it's toll on your lungs
until ultimately there is nothing left. Although modern medicine
has allowed those with CF to live much longer than ever, ultimately
the only known cure for this disease right now is (Double) Lung
Transplantation. I was first listed on the Colorado Region lung
transplant list just over 2 years ago.
Well it's been a long time but my transplant finally came. I had
the operation on the 29th of May 2002 and was in the hospital for 8
days thereafter (they called my house at 2:30 in the morning with
the news). The total length of the surgery was about 8 - 1/2 hours
long and I was pretty much "out" of it for 2 days afterwards. The
whole process is relatively simple one - Take the old organs out
and replace them with the donor ones. However it isn't a walk in
the park by any means. It is a whole other way of life. One that
requires a careful dedication to knowing yourself inside and out -
something I was used to doing anyway since I have grown up with a
terminal illness my whole life. Learning the different rejection
meds and what they do along with having a very "aware" sense of
yourself is very key. Even the slightest change in O2 levels or
temperature could mean the difference between rejection or
otherwise. I am still getting used to the staples holding me
together from the surgery, but those should be coming out sometime
next week - thank goodness.
I have only had these new lungs for 12 days now and Talk about a
night and day difference already! I keep looking at my O2 level
thinking if I walk really hard or exercise it is going to drop like
it used to. Then I look down and my O2 saturation level is 98% and
I just have to laugh. It feels so good to be able to breath. I
really have nothing to compare it to since I have had my Cystic
Fibrosis my whole life and I really don't know what it is like to
feel normal. Now that I have these new lungs, this will be the
closest I have to a normal life - and I am looking forward to
seeing what it is like.
Some may say that there is a moral or ethical dilemma with doing
transplants or any other surgery that tampers with our lives in a
major way. After going through it, this is the way I see it. God
has given us a wealth of knowledge and created us to be the
smartest beings on the planet. We are some of the few creatures in
the animal kingdom that are born with an innate sense to care for
the sick and dying to whatever extent necessary. Most other
creatures leave their sick to die alone, as it is a hindrance for
the rest of them. Humans are not like that. As God has given us
this ability to create, heal, care, and innovate there is a reason
for it. Our knowledge is God given and to that I believe He (God)
entrusts us with the decisions that we make. Why would God allow
us to be such innovators if we are not expected to make good use
out of it.
Let me tell you something that I have just begun to experience.
Organ Donation/Transplantation is a Gift from God. You will never
know what a Blessing the whole process is until you have to
experience it firsthand. It takes a special person to be willing
to donate organs to a perfect stranger whom they have never met
before, but to that I am grateful. I don't know much about my
Donor expect that it was a younger male, but to him, and God, and
the surgeons I owe my life. I have always lived my life in
wonder.... I Wonder what it would be like to breath normally; I
Wonder what it would be like to have a day without the need for
Nebulizers and inhalers and treatments totaling hours per day; I
Wonder what it would be like to be able to wake up and take a big
breath of air like everyone else. I am now just beginning to
experience what it is going to be like, and let me tell you - "I
like it".
Thank you all my friends here at Dpreview and please keep me in
your thoughts and prayers for the next coming few weeks. I have a
lot ahead of me and I'm sure not all of it will be easy....but I am
up to the challenge, and I will survive!
Gary
