Paul Bleuler's phone rang at 10 p.m. on the 22nd - it was a call that he had been eagerly awaiting and that changed his life: "Good evening Mr. Bleuler, we have an organ for you. Are you ready?" 45 minutes later, the USZ transport service picked up the 62-year-old patient at home. Just a few hours later, he received a donor lung at Zurich University Hospital.
During the ride, surprisingly little went through my mind. I couldn’t process what was happening – that my life would soon be different. For five years, my incurable disease pulmonary fibrosis gave me a hard time. At first I simply ran out of breath quickly, later I could hardly get up the stairs. This was followed by treatment with medication and oxygen equipment. But at some point, these were no longer enough. I was out of breath after five sentences. At times I had such shortness of breath that I felt like I was suffocating. That was very unpleasant for me and those around me. The situation was so serious that the doctors at the USZ put me on the Swisstransplant transplant list.
Race against time
They told me that my life expectancy was 1 to 1.5 years – about as long as the average waiting time for a donor lung. I was lucky: the right organ came at the right time. Just ten weeks after the listing, a lung was found. When the phone rang, I had to sit down. I am actually a very pragmatic and rational person. But at that moment I was overwhelmed. I only knew one thing: I had to seize this opportunity.
Once I arrived at the USZ, I was thoroughly examined and prepared for the possible operation – ‘possible’ because it first had to be checked whether the donated lung really fit.
“We can do this—together.”
At eight o’clock the next morning, it was clear that the transplant would go ahead. The hours leading up to the anesthetic were the most impressive for me. Now I realized that in a few hours I would wake up with a ‘new’ lung at best. I wasn’t afraid, but I had great respect. At the same time, I trusted the doctors at the USZ completely – they had always kept me informed about everything and prepared me very well.
The operation took about eight hours. I woke up in the intensive care unit with a severe cough, but practically pain-free thanks to the well-adjusted medication. I was alive – with a ‘new’ organ. The donor lung was part of me from the very beginning. We can do it – together, I said to her. Of course, I have often thought about who donated this organ to me. I am eternally grateful to this deceased person and his family. To do something like this is a huge step and deeply admirable.
I was able to leave the intensive care unit after just three days and then spent another three weeks in the ward. At first I found it difficult to breathe and I had to be patient. The nursing staff at the USZ get top marks from me – a sensational team that didn’t let anything put them off their stride.
Second life with restrictions
I still can’t believe that I walked into the USZ with a sick lung and walked out with a healthy one. Cutting-edge medicine that impresses me. However, the first year after the transplant also brought setbacks: I suffered two pulmonary embolisms. A dangerous complication, but one that is not uncommon in lung transplant patients. Fortunately, my body did not reject the lung and I received the right treatment at the USZ.
If I stick to certain rules, I can keep the risks low: no raw meat, frequent hand disinfection, no indoor swimming pools and wearing a mask when I have a cold. My family helps me with this and is a great support. I am incredibly grateful for that. It is difficult to predict how long I will be able to live with the donor lung. I am aiming for another five years. Being able to breathe properly again is a gift – and I cherish every day that this is possible.
