Teen waiting in Durham needs double lung and liver transplant
DURHAM (WTVD) -- A Virginia girl and her family picked up and left their home there to come to Duke University Hospital in Durham to wait on life-saving organ transplants. Her case is considered somewhat rare, but her family remains hopeful that a suitable match will come along and save her life.
Nineteen-year-old Heather James has been living with cystic fibrosis her entire life. For years, she managed it, enjoying time with her pets, her family, and even being crowned her high school's prom queen. But, while she was in college last year, things took a turn for the worse.
"I was having a lot of lung infections and I couldn't stay out of the hospital. I would get sick so easily, I was starting to need oxygen," Heather recalled.
So, she decided to withdraw from school on her doctor's advice.
"We were told in December that it was time that I be listed, that my disease had progressed to the point where there wasn't much else they could do, and that a transplant would be my best option," she explained.
However, complicating things is the fact that she needs not one, but two organs, a double-lung transplant and a liver transplant.
"They don't want to do surgery, perform a major lung transplant, and leave an iffy liver in my body," said Heather. "It could potentially cause many problems with the new anti-rejection meds."
Because of the nature of the surgery, Heather's doctors referred her to Duke University Hospital, which is one of the premier hospitals in the nation when it comes to lung transplants. The family has been temporarily living in Durham ever since January, waiting for word that doctors have found both matches.
"We're waiting for that call that says come on in. You have 30 minutes. We need to get Heather ready for surgery," said Heather's mother, Lauren, as she clutched her cell phone in her hands.
But, as days have stretched into months, the waiting is wearing on them.
"It's extremely difficult, extremely stressful. As a mom, or a parent, you want to be able to fix things for your child, and I can't," Lauren choked out through tears.
Despite all that, the family is staying positive, taking cues from Heather herself, who remains upbeat, holding on to hope. Of course, she knows if she gets her second chance at life it will come at another's expense, and it's not something she or her family takes lightly.
"I just wish everyone would sign up to be an organ donor. It's so important. You just never know yourself someday when a loved one might need an organ and you're going to want the same thing," Lauren said.
"There are not enough organ donors out there," remarked Heather. "And what better gift to give than part of you to live on in someone else that may not have a chance otherwise. I think it's an amazing gift, an amazing selfless gift."
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