I received a double lung transplant at the University of Pennsylvania

I received a double lung transplant at the University of Pennsylvania on February 11, 2011 what a birthday gift that was i wish to thank the donor family for giving me a second chance to have my life back, since then I’ve lost 47 lbs. and feeling great about myself. It has been a long and rough road with a few bumps in the road I'm down to about twenty six pills a day down from about 35 pills per day,. I think it harder to find a friend when I was ill. The minute I say I’ve had Transplant or I had COPD, I never hear from that person again and that's what really hurts me. As of today I’m at 97 % to 100% room air without any Oxygen  and joining the gym at Pell Port the old DuPont rehab center on Pennsylvania Ave in Wilmington Delaware a few days a week to keep the weight off and build mussels back up. It was amazing to be able to breathe without exhaustion — and it still is "When I started using oxygen, I was only ? years old I was up to almost 4 liter and could hardly able to walk short or long distances. I'd had to quit working. I didn't go out much. I went to a wedding once and ran out of the reception early because,  I'd run out of oxygen and felt like I couldn't catch my breath ( I have been without Oxygen now four months and all the tanks and machines are no longer in my home.). Part of it may have been panic at the thought of not being able to breathe without the oxygen — it was so much a part of me." "When I did my lung capacity tests for the first time after transplant, I almost cried because it was with little effort. "Everything at Penn went really well. Every department interacts with the others, which is nice. I recommend it to everyone who needs it.  "I spent three months in and out at the University of Pennsylvania in ICU, Rehab Center where I had to learn to walk, dress myself feed myself and learn to breath normal.
 I’m so grateful for every opportunity I been given to have a full life back, Thank you god and all my friends and most of all my family who supported me 24/7 that believed in me and all the Doctors Specially Dr.Lee, Dr. Ahya, Belinda Tuner, Kevin Carney and   J.Eric Hobson and many more to thank and all of the transplant team, and all the Rehabilitation personal and Occupational team that did not give up on me. I can't say enough about the staff at the University of Pennsylvania who gave me excellent  care and a normal life back. Someone ask me if i had to go Thru this again would you, My reply is you bet your sweet bottom i would.

Ric Berry