Megan Parker Artist

Around 21 years of age, doctors approached Erica and suggested she start thinking about getting a double lung transplant.  Her lung function had dropped extremely low. She was unable to walk a flight of stairs or make her bed without taking breaks. Her body was burning a tremendous amount of calories to survive and she was losing weight to a point that she needed a feeding tube. Her diabetes would sometimes become almost completely insulin resistant, taking twice as much insulin as normal to try to keep her sugar levels in line. She was too sick to go on any of the new "miracle" drugs.”

Her health continued to decline, and she went on oxygen. But still determined to finish not one, but two diplomas, she carried her oxygen tank to school with her everyday.  Once graduating, she found a job where she could work from home with shorter workdays, as exhaustion was a constant battle.  

Shortly before her 23rd birthday, her health had declined to a point where she was eligible to go on a transplant list. “Doctors said lung failure and transplant. I wasn’t ready for such a major surgery, but I was even less prepared for my life to end”, she wrote, “Watch out world, I’m coming!!”

122 days later, she had a new set of lungs. 

One year later, she went on her dream trip to France and Spain.”

Her packed itinerary had us going up and down stairs constantly along with an 20,000+ steps a day.  She was able to do this without taking a break, or feeling exhausted, thanks to those new lungs. It was an experience like she had never felt before - she called them "gravity defying" breaths.  That trip had a crown achievement with those lungs as on one evening, she climbed the 674 steps to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.  She could have taken an elevator – but not my girl – she was determined to live the life a 24-year-old should live.

7 months after that trip, her body started to reject those new lungs and breathing was even more difficult than it had ever been.  She fought with everything she had, the doctors did everything they could, and she signed up for a second transplant.  Our hearts were broken when just over 2 years after her first transplant, Erica lost her battle.  Breathe easy Erica.  We miss you more than words can say.

Xoxoxo

 (Thank you to her mom for sharing her story)