Dealing with a triple transplant was not only a first for the Don and Jill Elliott family, of Findlay, it was the first such procedure completed in Ohio.
The surgeries took place about seven months ago at Cleveland Clinic – and was the fourth such operation to take place in the United States, according to pulmonologist Dr. Sameep Sehgal, of Cleveland Clinic.
Don, 64, was diagnosed with genetic alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency when he was 40. This condition results when the liver fails to make enough AAT protein, which protects the lungs from damage from smoking, pollution, or dust. It can lead to COPD and emphysema.
Though Don has been dealing with the disease for more than 20 years, it became apparent in 2023 that he was in dire need of a double lung, liver, and kidney transplant. It began when he was diagnosed with pneumonia during the summer of 2023. A scan also happened to catch cirrhosis of the liver.
“He wasn't living. He was worn out by doing all those things he needed to do to keep living,” Don's wife, Jill, said of dialysis three days per week, numerous doctors' appointments, and a need for oxygen each night.
“Last fall, he was attached to it 24/7,” Jill said of the increasing dependence upon oxygen. “Every day he was resting more and more.”
Dr. Sehgal said Don's situation is very unique. All of the organs transplanted were from a single individual. For now, the doctor is watching for signs of rejection and infections as well as maintenance of strength through nutrition.
“Most transplant patients are on many medications, and we are looking for side effects or toxicity of medications,” the physician said.
Despite some atrial fibrillation after the operation and an electrolyte imbalance that sent him disappointingly back to the hospital five days after he was released, Don is once again attending family events. Just a year ago, his calendar included all those get-togethers that seemed to be slipping away from him. He and Jill watched the eclipse while living in Cleveland for 2.5 months, and he was able to attend his youngest child's high school graduation though he was still wobbly and had to wear a mask at the time.
Don is by far the oldest individual to go through such a taxing series of surgeries, which took place over a little more than 12 hours. But it is evident that his robust energy and love for family keeps him engaged with life. He is happy to once again attend his grandchildren's sports events, including soccer. He credits an outstanding staff at Cleveland Clinic for a second chance at life.
“I didn't think it was going to happen. Everything came together at the last minute,” said Don of the 100 percent match of organs.
A time of waiting had its ups and downs. He was listed in need of the transplants on Dec. 27. An initial call on Jan. 12 ended up as a “no go.”
“You get really excited, and then it's a letdown,” Jill said.
The next call came at 5 p.m. Valentine's Day, and Don and Jill were at Cleveland Clinic the next day. Jill's memory for dates is tied to holidays, birthdays and anniversaries.
Three teams of physicians at Cleveland Clinic were coordinated for the operation, the first double-lung, liver and kidney transplant surgery completed at the same time from the same donor at the hospital. Jill recalls that the transplant of the lungs took six hours, and another five and a half hours for the liver. A few hours of rest in an ICU allowed doctors to make sure there was no severe bleeding. Next was the kidney transplant.
“I hadn't really thought about the waiting part. I didn't know what that would look like,” said Jill, explaining that family friends, relatives and their seven children were either present or anxiously waiting by a phone throughout that night. “I can't imagine having been waiting by myself.”
While Don is moving forward, he keeps thoughts of the donor in his heart and especially of the donor’s parents who had to make some tough decisions during a heartbreaking situation.
“I feel sorry for the parents,” he said. “I can't think of what they went through when he died.”
Don says he knows he has young organs because he is rated at 104 percent lung capacity for someone his age. Initially losing 40 to 50 pounds, Don has regained a healthy amount of weight.
There were definitely challenges along the way. Don, who is not a smoker nor a heavy drinker, grimaces when he recalls assumptions some people made when he had to cart oxygen around with him. He likes to remind people that the need for transplants should not label him as an addict of any kind.
Being on a ventilator at the hospital as well as the use of a tracheostomy tube inhibited his ability to communicate at times, and a feeding tube was the worst, according to Don, who says he has a lot of scars that now look like old wrinkles – just trophies his body bears in its fight for life.
“This was no picnic. You have to have a little bit of faith,” said Don, who wants to reach others who might need a transplant. “Somebody might need to know that there is some help out there.”
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