L.A. Mom Has Dual Organ Transplant
By Tom Harrigan, Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - When her children offered their own organs to
save her life, Maria Alvarez was terrified - not for herself but
for them.
The 57-year-old had been on dialysis for 31/2 years after kidney
failure, and her liver was more than twice normal size and barely
functioning due to polycystic disease. Fluid from the liver had
already caused one infection that had nearly killed her.
But despite the pain, Alvarez was reluctant when doctors told
her that dual transplants - a kidney from Rosario Proscia, 34, and
part of the liver of son Jose Alvarez, 36 - could help her become
healthy again.
``She didn't want us to suffer, or possibly even die,'' said
Proscia, who had urged the doctors at University of Southern
California University Hospital to consider the transplants. ``It
took her a few months to get used to the idea.''
Five months after the dual surgeries, all three are recovering
well, their doctors said Wednesday.
``I believe it is the first of this particular kind of
transplant, when one child donates a liver and another child
donates a kidney to a parent,'' said the surgeon in both
operations, Dr. Rick Selby.
Proscia said she had been inspired by her mother's refusal to
give up.
``My surgery was nothing compared to what she has been going
through,'' she said.
Jose Alvarez said pain from removal of less than half of his
liver ended in about eight days.
``We feel privileged that we were able to do this,'' he said.
``Mom was very sick for 31/2 years, and we nearly saw her die.''
Their mother, meanwhile, said she hoped other people would be
encouraged by her story to donate organs. According to the United
Network for Organ Sharing, 48,245 people are currently on waiting
lists for kidney transplants and 17,286 are awaiting liver
transplants.
``I'm proud of my children,'' she said. ``I'm so happy God gave
me such good children.''
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