This Woman Lived For Six Days Without Lungs
This Woman Lived For Six Days Without Lungs
Melissa Benoit was going to die due to a lifelong battle against cystic fibrosis and a drug-resistant bacterial infection, but a team of brave doctors tried the impossible to buy her time for a transplant, and miraculously, it worked. Find out more here:
Melissa Benoit was going to die due to a lifelong battle against cystic fibrosis and a drug-resistant bacterial infection, but a team of brave doctors tried the impossible to buy her time for a transplant, and miraculously, it worked. Find out more here:
32-year-old Melissa Benoit had been too sick for the majority of her toddler's life to even be able to get out of bed to play with her. Most of 2-year-old Olivia's memories are of her mother being sick or sleeping because of Benoit's lifelong struggle against cystic fibrosis. The disease, coupled with a bout of drug-resistant swine flu, had Benoit at death's door, doctors bringing in family members to say goodbye. But then those doctors decided to tell Benoit's family about an experimental treatment that had never been tried: removing both of Benoit's lungs and replacing them with temporary devices to pump oxygen into her heart and through her body while waiting on a lung transplant.
The procedure worked perfectly, and while the doctors were constantly on edge waiting for either complications to arise or for new lungs to become available for Benoit. According to Dr. Shaf Keshavjee, this was the most difficult time.
Literally within 20 minutes, we were able to remove all the blood-pressure-supporting drugs. That told us that the concept is right. She’s not going to die tonight, but we’re not home free. Now can we keep this state until we get lungs?
Dr. Shaf Keshavjee
Washington Post, January 27, 2017
After a long six-day wait, lungs became available for Benoit, and the procedure to transplant them was a success. Now, after months of physical therapy, Benoit is able to play with her daughter like never before.
They brought me back from death. Now we're able to do things I haven't been able to do for a very long time,” she said. “I play with her. We go out. Last week, we just went to the aquarium for the very first time.
Melissa Benoit
Washington Post, January 27, 2017
So, now, what we would like to know is...
Would you risk living without lungs if you were in her place?
Would you risk living without lungs if you were in her place?