I sit here without 02, no neb dripping or noisy machine. Its so sweet. But that's not where it begins. Monday March 1, 1999 at 10.30 p.m. John and I were watching wrestling and I had just finished an IV antibiotic and flushed my line and was dozing and the phone rang. I have been listed for 33 months so we don't hope when the phone rings..usually we look at each other as if to say, what idiot is calling at this hour. Well, it was our contact from the organ procurement agency..The Gift of Life..calling to offer me 2 lungs. YES! YES! YES!..So we were asked to arrive between 1:30 and 2:00am so it was time to put the plan into action.

What plan? I'm in the middle of a terrible panic attack and can't find anything..I have packed and unpacked my bag so many times in almost 3 years I can't even see the bag! Poor John racing around packing whatever..Me doing breathing treatments hoping to catch some air somewhere. I can hardly move. Ready? Not really..I'm in the kitchen hunched over my liquid 02 barrel sucking about 6 lt of 02 and also sucking 02 from my portable unit. Praying the 02 company filled up my car unit. I get out of the house and in the car. John handles the lights and carries Laurie's suitcase and then Laurie and its off to Dads. John had called in advance so Dad was waiting. It was perfect timing because Dad had just returned from a vacation in Ct and Maine and was at our house for supper earlier. Anyway, John unloaded while Dad and I just held each other and cried with tears of fear, and Joy.

Here we go..on the road..will it be a dry run (no surgery) will it be what we want so desperately? I had my bible in my hands. We arrived and were directed to Thoracic ICU And got into a gown and had a perennial (Venus) IV installed. Then a Dr came in and installed with perfect precision an excellent "art" line in my rt. wrist. That was all the pain I had to endure..cool huh. I made a huge deal about being a chicken and so they did the foley cath for urine and the huge neck IV 8fr..(garden hose) to monitor all stuff after knocking me out with Maxwells silver hammer.

I had a bil-lung tx and they did it by doing 2 surgeries. They cut a clamshell under one arm and retract enough rib to slip in and remove an old lung and replace with a new. At this point I am breathing only on one bad lung. Then they flip me around and do the same on the other side. It is a very big surgery but I was able to handle it without being on the heart-lung by-pass machine and also they did not have to saw through my sternum and chicken wire that all back together. Less painful recovery.

I woke up with my husbands arms around me and smiles of love. I gave him the ol' thumbs up. We had made it this far. I was taken off the vent within six hours - Almost a record here. I was eating Wendys French fries and coke at 10 p.m..(hiding it) Heck what could they do? I wasn't giving the lungs back!!

The emotional experience of being given this second chance at life is not one easily expressed. My life is forever changed and that of my husbands and dear brother and my children and other relatives. I have been prayed over and placed on prayer lists all over the world and I have never been a practicing Christian of much but spiritual, or whatever..it is something..a true gift and I would not hesitate for one second when a family member passes to share any ripe fruit to help heal mankind. I thank God and my donor's family that so lovingly gave a gift that goes without measure, without strings. There is no greater gift than the gift of ones self.

Love to all,
Suzanne Tierney
Transplanted March 2, 1999
Home in 7 days!!

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