“My New Lungs”

By William Poplett
Lung Recipient - Virginia Beach, VA

My journey started in the early 1980s when I noticed an inability to breathe normally, and that it took longer to recover from shortness of breath. I was the second member of my family to be diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (A1AD), and I had lost 75% of my lung function. I was given five years to live. Alpha-1 is a genetic disease of the liver and lungs. As I learned more about A1AD, I realized my mother and father both died from complications related to it. I also have two sisters that have been diagnosed with A1AD, and my brother shows many of the early signs.

I was able to maintain 25% lung function for a few years by changing my lifestyle. Exercise was key in preparing for a lung transplant. One might find me pushing my wheelchair -- with my oxygen tank in the seat or in a backpack -- as I pedaled up and down the boardwalk. In bad weather, and in the last two years before my transplant, my lung function decreased to twelve percent.

During the past 16 years of struggling to breathe, my wife Betty and our children were my life! It was difficult for them: growing up with a dad who had trouble getting to their school functions; no perfume; no body powder; and no visits from friends if they were sick, or even had a sniffle. My wife had to do many of the tasks I had done, from yard work to vehicle maintenance. For us to go out involved loading a wheelchair in and out of the car, carrying extra oxygen cylinders, and bags of necessary machines. Dining out and shopping became things of the past. I would sometimes wake up choking while my wife beat on my back to loosen the congestion in my lungs. It was nightmarish; however, it was the norm for me. I thanked God for such a great support system.

I got the call at 1:30 p.m. on February 4, 2000, that a donor had been found who was a match. At the Transplant Center, as I waited on a gurney with my wife, we talked about many things in our lives, and the love we have for each other. I felt confident as I went into surgery. I kissed my wife goodbye, and said what a husband says to his wife of many years (since high school). As I looked around the operating room, I was calm.

I awoke the next morning in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with a ventilator helping me breathe and a new, healthy lung! I was taken off the ventilator, and the thrill of my ‘first breath’ was indescribable! It compared to being young and swimming in a pool: my friends and I would dive into the water and swim the length of the pool without coming up for air. My lungs felt as if they would burst, but I did not want to break the surface of the water until I was at the other wall. It felt wonderful! Just as a kid when I broke the surface of the water, my lungs in the ICU kept filling with sweet, cool air and my chest kept expanding. My skin color had changed to a healthy tone. Tears welled up as I thanked God, my donor, and his family for honoring his wishes, and my family for sticking by me. I left the hospital six days after my transplant.

Through my donor’s gifts, others live because of his loving and caring nature. I have written to my donor’s family, thanking them for raising such a fine son, and for instilling such wonderful values in him. I think of them every day.

I was fortunate to participate in the US Transplant Games held in the summer of 2002 in Orlando, Florida. I remind people to stay well, and remember to sign up as an organ and tissue donor!

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