The following is a pictorial chronology of Melissa Reta's living lobar transplant. Melissa received her transplant on May 24, 2000 at University of Southern California University Hospital. If you would like to ask Melissa a question after reviewing her story, just click here.

This is Brian and me, with our friend, Katie. This picture has a lot of story behind it. It was taken at a surprise birthday party that my dad and I threw for my mom's 49th birthday, 3 1/2 months before my surgery. I was afraid to wait for her 50th birthday, I was pretty sick. I did not see this picture for a while after my surgery, and was so surprised at how I looked. I took the picture and put it away in a drawer so I didn't have to look at it; it was months before I could look at it and it not make me feel awful. It is also the last day before I used oxygen for the first time; I only weighed 87 lbs. It was this night when I couldn't even get off the couch to go see my mom blow out the candles on her birthday cake -- when I realized my health was going down-hill quick. That night I had to drive home because Brian had a few drinks, and it was the last time I drove until 2 months post transplant, 5 months later. It is also the 2nd time I had ever seen Jerry. His wife, Michelle, worked with my mom, and that is how I know him. He came and sat by me, and we talked for a long time. We talked about a lot of things, but especially about what it was like to be that sick. I think that night is the reason he became my donor.

My mom took this picture of Brian and me, the morning we were leaving for the hospital, 2 days before the surgery.

(L to R) My Uncle Rickey, me and Jerry, 2 days before the surgery. This was only the 3rd time I had ever seen Jerry. Sense I didn't really know him; it was hard for me to know what to say to him.

Rickey doing some pre-surgery spirometry testing

Jerry in "the box" getting ready to do his pre-surgery spirometry tests.

These are my old lungs. The doctors said that there were so many puss pockets, they could have been popped like bubble wrap. The picture is of all my lungs, all 5 lobes. Notice how small they are in the blue basin compared to the pictures of just one healthy lobe.

This is now my right side, from my uncle Rickey. The reason this lobe is not smooth (like the left lobe) is because it has not yet been inflated; it also has a piece on it called an "attachment". There is no way to know if a lobe has this or not, however, it is an added benefit as it gives you extra air space

This lobe is from Jerry -- my left side. In this picture you can see how large this one lobe is compared to my entire set of old lungs.

This picture is my open chest cavity with my new lungs inside. My head and arms are on the left of the picture with my arms actually tied up, behind those blue chucks. The yellow coloring is from the tagaderm tape that is put on during surgery has iodine all over it. You can see how low the chest tubes are in this picture (with my chest still open), but in the picture of me stapled back together, you can see how high up they really are. My momma still cannot look at this picture without it making her stomach hurt.

This picture was made 2 hours post transplant, showing me hooked up to all the tubes, needles, monitors, and machines.

Me in CICU again, 2 hours post transplant.

My dad, Dr. Vaughn Starnes (my surgeon), and my mom

My Uncle Rickey and me the day after surgery. I am getting respiratory therapy at the time

Uncle Rickey (left) and Jerry (right) the day after surgery. They look great and felt good, but both pushed it a little too much, and they were very tired and sore that afternoon. Their biggest complaint they had about their pain was when they woke up from surgery they both felt like their shoulder (the side they were opened on) was out of the socket

My incision, and the four chest tubes. The scar from the incision is very light and "clean" looking; it continued to fade for about a year and looks great now. The chest tube scars look like little six point stars. For those of you wondering, the incision itself is a non-issue. It did not hurt, even when I touched it the next day. The chest tubes are the real source of pain. As you can see, they are each attached by one suture. When they take them out, it is not that painful; it is over quick and gives instant relief. When they remove them you have to hold your breath until they can tie them off. The thought of holding my breath, for any amount of time up to that point was terrifying, and I told the doctor that I would not be able to do it. He just smiled and said, "Do the best you can". When he was done, he told me I could breathe again, but I kept holding it -- just to see how much longer I could do it!

Uncle Rickey's right lobectomy incision

Jerry's left side lobectomy incision

My first walk, 2 days post transplant. I was told that a good first walk was about 10 feet-- I walked 100! It took about 15 minuets to get out of bed and get all the equipment hooked up to the IV pole. After the walk, I slept for 3 hours, I was so tired. It is a team effort to walk the first week. The PT has to watch your sats and make sure you don't fall. You need someone to walk behind you with a wheel chair (in case you can't walk anymore) and someone to walk in front of you with the fan, then, of course, the "bucket" needs to be close by at all times too!

This is my mom's favorite picture, taken 3 days post transplant. She claims that I said, "just because one has a lung transplant is no reason to have hairy legs", but I don't remember saying that at all. The pads they put on your legs, to help with circulation, is made of a material that itches your legs when the hair grows in, and it itched so bad I couldn't stand it - that I do remember! So as soon as I could, I told my mom to get me a razor, some soap and a bucket.

This is my Aunt Jane (Rickey's wife) and my mom washing my hair one week after surgery.