At 32, Paul Thibodeaux said he feels like he's been born again.
It's been more than three weeks since the Thibodaux Police officer received a lung transplant after a lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that affects his respiratory and digestive systems. He found out he qualified for a transplant in December and had the surgery May 30 at Ochsner in New Orleans.
Thibodeaux said like anyone else, he was scared when the time came for the transplant, though he always knew he'd need one.
"I knew it was inevitable unless by some miracle they'd come up with a cure. So it was always in the back of my mind," he said. "But when it gets to the point where they say, 'OK, it's time,' you're as prepared as you can be, but it's still a scary situation."
Thibodeaux's journey toward new lungs was not without setbacks. He was called in twice for transplants that didn't happen.
The first call was May 6, but there was too much trauma to the donor's lungs for them to work, Thibodeaux said. The second time, May 12, doctors told him the lungs couldn't carry enough oxygen.
"It's hard because you prepare yourself for a transplant and you think you're going to get it, then all of a sudden they tell you that you can't for whatever reason," Thibodeaux said. "It plays with your emotions. But I kept telling myself, 'Third time's the charm,' and it was."
Thibodeaux will live in an apartment near Ochsner for three months, and he may not be able to return to work for a year. He'll have to wear a mask when he goes outside for the first four to six months, and doctor's visits will continue every week.
Eventually, the visits will be once a year.
But it's worth it for Thibodeaux, who said the first breath he took after surgery was "amazing." He uses a device called a spirometer, which measures his lung volume when he sucks into it.
"Before, one time doing it and I would have been out of breath, choking, coughing. Now, I can do that with no problem," he said. "Before surgery, I was on four and a half meters of oxygen 24 hours a day. I haven't been on oxygen since three days after surgery."
There's no more constant coughing, and he hasn't been out of breath since the transplant. He can't lift more than five pounds for the first 12 weeks after the surgery, but after that, he can start lifting weights, running and even riding his motorcycle again.
"Everyday tasks will be better just because I can breathe," he said.
Though fundraisers held before the surgery were successful, Thibodeaux said the expenses are still there, with his medicine alone costing more than $300 a month. A donation drive has been set up at www.gofundme.com/lkr0k4.
Thibodeaux said he doesn't know anything about his donor except that the person was in his or her 20s and in great health. He's in the process of writing a letter to the donor's family to show his gratitude and see if they want to meet.
"I know it's hard because they lost a loved one, but I want to thank them for giving me a new lease on life," he said. "I want them to know I'm not going to waste it and am going to do everything I can to make the best of my life."
Staff Writer Bridget Mire can be reached at 448-7639 or bridget.mire@dailycomet.com.
