Lori M.

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, Liver Transplant Recipient

I was first diagnosed with PBC in 2010, after months of medications that weren’t helping or working the way my Doctor hoped.  Upon further testing, I was diagnosed with PSC in 2011. Thankfully I didn’t have a lot of the extra symptoms except the constant fullness and discomfort, extreme fatigue and itching which worsened over time, however, I was hospitalized in July 2016 with Pancreatitis, Autoimmune Hepatitis, and ascites.

In May 2018 I went to my hepatologist with the worst itching 😔 it was to the unbearable stage by then, and she decided it was time to start the listing process. So in June 2018, I met with the Transplant Team at RUSH University Medical Center in Chicago and started the process- I was listed October 17th! My body was ready, however my brain…not so much!

I received a call from RUSH on the morning of March 2nd 2019, they had a liver- “a PERFECT MATCH” liver… and IT WAS A DIRECT DONATION! Yes, it was a GIFT, a bittersweet gift from a family I’ve known most of my life! You see, this wonderful generous lady was an organ donor and had a brain aneurysm the previous Thursday morning while at her daughter’s home. She was put on life support and her 5 children waited and our whole Community prayed with them for her. 24 hours later, without any signs of her brain waking up they made the decision to honor her wishes and donate her organs! You cannot repay such a gift ever, but you can live your best life with gratitude and a loud voice to pay it forward!

Lori’s word’s of wisdom to the liver community?

Don’t let your disease become who you are!