photography provided by Bruce Deachman
BONJOUR!
Thanks so much for checking in!
I was diagnosed with asthma when I was a pretty young thing, and always blamed my shortness of breath on my 'respiratory condition'.
In the summer of 2011, I spoke to my family doctor about how I had been feeling more and more faint on exertion. She sent me for a chest x ray, and shortly after I was sent to emerge. It turned out to be a respiratory condition, some weird auto immune disease called pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis. The only way to treat it was with a double lung transplant.
On April 6th, I got the call that would change my life forever. I had 5 wonderful years with those blowers, and was grateful for every breath.
In May 2016, my body started rejecting my donors lungs. This is quite common in transplantation. It is important to note that a transplant is a treatment, and not a cure. Being in rejection meant that I would eventually need a second transplant. Round two of waiting on a list for another double lung transplant began in April 2017, and on September 8th 2017, I had a second double lung transplant. I am doing better than ever, and that’s why I call myself a ‘double double’.
I will always think of my donors and their families. Choosing to help others in a hard time is not an easy thing to do. I realize what had to happen in order for me to live, and I know the donation of your loved ones organs did not take the pain of their loss away.
It is important to acknowledge that no one will ever get over the loss of a loved one. But I hope that through the decision to donate, donor families are able to get through the hard times, with the knowledge that they have saved and made a huge difference in others lives.
No words can express how grateful I am for the precious gift I have received.
Thank you for time, breathe easy my friends.
Hélène Campbell