Because of the gift of one selfless donor, I am celebrating my first year with my new lungs. Even though I spent more than two and a half years on the double-lung transplant list and had a rough year after transplant, breathing easy has made it all worth it.
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You may or may not have seen the video of the woman taking her first breath as her breathing tube is removed following her lung transplant. That was my fiancée, Jennifer.
After I received a letter from my transplant donor's mom, I hurried to respond, anxious to learn more about the woman who gave me new lungs and her family.
Shortly after receiving a double-lung transplant, I was fortunate enough to meet my donor's family. It brought us peace, healing, and connection.
Facing the challenges of cystic fibrosis is something no one should have to do alone. Fortunately, I have been able to rely on my support system to give me strength when I wasn't sure if I'd be able to continue the fight.
Not many people can say they had a second chance at life. But, thanks to organ donation, I can. And I'm not just alive -- I'm living. My feet hit the floor every morning because there is no better motivation than clear purpose, which for me is motherhood.
Not having a roadmap for life wasn't a problem when I thought I wouldn't be around long enough to take the trip. A double lung-transplant has me rethinking this belief.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has been carefully following the story of a 10-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis who has severe lung disease and has been on a pediatric lung transplant list for 18 months. Her family has organized an online petition and filed a lawsuit to help her receive an adult donor lung.
After my lung transplant, I discovered I couldn't keep eating the typical high-calorie CF diet. By learning to practice mindful eating, I have found a new way to enjoy my food.
The video of the second plenary at this year's North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference was focused on lung transplantation and is now available to watch online. Having had a lung transplant and as one of the people with CF featured in the video, this particular session had a personal meaning for me.