Transplant Today 4 Talias Tomorrow
Hi! For everyone who has been following my story or for anyone who is just now reading this, my name is Natalia and I am a 30 year old dance instructor who has been waiting for a liver transplant for over a year! My transplant team wanted meto have a full liver transplant, but things changedand I couldn’t wait any longer, so they are removing my whole liver and my sister Ana is donating 60% of her liver to me tomorrow morning on 7/7/2020 at 7am! I am so beyond grateful for my sister and ecstatic that this is finally happening! It’s definitely scary, but I’m so thankful to have this life saving option available! So, if you don’t mind... I would really appreciate a positive thought or prayer for my sister and I, my mother and family as well as the team of surgeons and the rest of the transplant medical team for tomorrow’s surgery! We can use all of the luck, love and positivity possible! Thanks in advanced for your kindness as we prepare for tomorrow’s transplant!
Personal Comments:
No words can express how blessed I am for everyone who is thinking of me, contributing to my transplant or sharing my story. I am forever indebted and my heart is forever full. Thank you for the texts, calls, messages, gifts, donations, prayers and positive juju sent my way! It’s a very expensive surgery and I now have to cover a majority of my sisters as well. I’m tremendously grateful for any and everything! But, even if you can’t donate, you can help me by sharing my story. Please, help save my life! I can’t do it alone and when “I” is replaced by “we”, even illness can become wellness.
Info on my rare disease:
For years, I have been treated for Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia. This is a genetic, rare disease in which the liver produces way too much cholesterol and leads to aggressive atherosclerosis, other conditions, diseases, heart attacks and sudden death in both childhood and adulthood. HoFH is the most severe form of FH. I have tried max therapy drug treatments, been a part of different clinical research trials and have also done Lipid Apheresis for years. Sadly, nothing has worked. I’ve gotten much worse and now I have a condition that makes it unsafe for me to do apheresis, again. Heart attack survivor, stents, numerous surgeries, procedures and countless hospitalizations for years and no cure. A LIVER TRANSPLANT IS MY LAST OPTION! This transplant will stop the progression of my heart disease, plaque build up and other conditions developed due to this disease. This transplant is my last optionand I’m so lucky to have it! Thank you to my earth angel sister, Ana, and also to all of you who have been a support throughout this and continue to be! I am forever inspired and touched by you.
With love, Talia
