My name is Tony. I’m here to share my story because I got a second chance at life through organ donation. Up until a few years ago, I was healthy and active. Then, everything changed. Here’s my story.
In 2020, I developed a cough that wouldn’t go away. One day, while doing yardwork, I felt very winded. I’ve been mowing my lawn for decades and never had that happen before.
When I told my doctor, he recommended I see a pulmonologist, which is a lung specialist.
The pulmonologist ran lots of tests. I was diagnosed with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a rare allergic reaction that triggers inflammation and scarring in the lungs. Luckily, medication was available to slow down the scarring.
Taking Breathing for Granted
For a while, the medication helped, but by early 2023, it was challenging to even walk up a flight of stairs. At night, I was hooked up to oxygen maximize airflow to my body when I was resting.
Then I noticed I was losing my breath when I was talking. I’m a fast talker — I mean, I’m Italian. I’m ALWAYS talking. When you can’t breathe and talk at the same time, you realize how much you take breathing for granted.
I went back to the doctor. My lungs were working at 41 percent capacity. He said it was time to consider a lung transplant and handed me a folder of information about the transplant process. My wife, Ann, and I read it. It was a lot to absorb. It was also scary.
Getting Physically and Mentally Ready
Luckily, I worked with Dr. Gerard Criner, who is a top lung transplant specialist at Temple University Health System. I had to schedule a week’s worth of appointments with specialists who would determine if I was physically and mentally healthy enough for a transplant.
I was a good candidate, but getting added to the transplant list takes time. And then I had to wait for a donor who was a good match. Since my blood type is rare, I expected to wait a long time.
A Life-Changing Phone Call
On October 13, I was officially “listed” for a lung transplant. Two days later, I got a phone call saying they had a donor. Temple tries to save as many lives as possible through organ donation, so even though both of my lungs were scarred, they scheduled me for a right lung transplant since that lung was more severely damaged.
That was the most emotional call I ever had. I was thankful, hopeful, surprised, and scared all at once.
I rushed to get everything in order at work and home. I reached out to my loved ones, packed a bag, and had surgery the next day. Before I went under, my doctor asked what I wanted to do most after surgery. I told him, “Mow my lawn.” He looked at Ann and our sons, and they nodded in agreement. The doctor looked at me and said, “That’s a first.”
The Long Road Back
Three days after the surgery, I woke up. Organ transplants are massive, complicated procedures, and recovery is a long process. Those first few days after surgery, I was so weak, I could barely shuffle across the floor when the nurses took me for my walks.
I spent three and a half weeks in the hospital. Getting discharged was exciting but scary. In the hospital, nurses and doctors take care of everything. At home, it’s just you and your family.
Since my immune system was weak, I had to protect my health. I took medications to reduce the risk of my body rejecting the new lung. Exposure to even small amounts of germs could be fatal, so I couldn’t be around sick people or hug anyone. I even had to change how I ate. For example, I couldn’t eat nuts or shellfish. Ordering a hoagie meant that raw foods like tomatoes, lettuce, and onions were off the menu, and I had to microwave the lunchmeat to kill any bacteria.
I wanted to get back to the old Tony as soon as possible. I threw myself into physical therapy, but rebuilding my strength took time. My biggest goals were to get back to work and to mow that lawn.
By February 2024, I was strong enough to start work again. Work was so accommodating. My teammates and managers at Independence Blue Cross (IBX) were supportive throughout the entire process.
I’m proud to say I’m feeling the best I have in a long time. And my lawn has never looked better. I completed my first mow of the season over Mother’s Day weekend!
Giving Back
I’ve always been a person who gives back. As an ambassador for Gift of Life, I help raise awareness for organ donation. One person can save up to eight lives through organ donation and improve the lives of up to 75 others through tissue donation. I also volunteer at Gift of Life through the IBX Blue Crew corporate volunteer program.
It’s also important for me to give transplant recipients a safe space to share their fears and help them process survivors’ guilt, which is vital to healing emotionally after a transplant. It’s an honor to volunteer and use my experiences to help others.
Gratitude, Hope, and Humor
I’m grateful for everyone who was part of my recovery. My wife is my rock. I know that being my primary caregiver was stressful, but Ann never complained. She did it all with a smile. Our sons were always there to help, cheer me on, and even mow the lawn when I couldn’t. Friends and coworkers constantly checked in on me. And I wouldn’t be here without my amazing health care team.
Dealing with a chronic health condition is about being physically and mentally resilient. I choose to be optimistic, so even my bad days are good days. My sense of humor is my secret weapon. I enjoy making people laugh. I tell everyone the transplant replaced my lung, not my tongue.
People often ask if I know anything about my donor. I don’t, but maybe one day I can meet their family and show them the good I try to put into the world. Whether that means educating people about organ donation, supporting the transplant community, or being a good husband, father and friend, I’m just lucky to have a second chance to experience it all.
