"Wrapped in a flashy fur coat she'd found at a thrift store for the occasion, Hannah Goetz blew out the candles on her favorite red velvet cheesecake. It was her 21st birthday. The celebration with her family that evening in February 2023 was a milestone not just for her age, but because she was alive. Three and a half years before, her lungs had collapsed from cystic fibrosis."
"Just days after her birthday, though, she was back in the hospital. She'd been feeling her chest tighten, and she struggled for air. By March, Hannah felt as if she were breathing through a straw. Tests showed she was taking in less than half the oxygen of a healthy person. One of the first questions came from her transplant team's pharmacist, who had overseen her medications since her operation."
Hannah Goetz underwent a double-lung transplant after her lungs collapsed from cystic fibrosis, and the surgery initially restored her ability to breathe deeply. Daily immunosuppressive medication helped protect the donated lungs while she recovered from infections and rebuilt strength. She resumed social activities, work and college, and celebrated her 21st birthday with plans for a trip. Days later she developed chest tightness and severe shortness of breath, and tests showed oxygen intake below half that of a healthy person. Her transplant pharmacy team raised concerns about changes to her tacrolimus medication, signaling potential medication-related complications.
Read at Truthout
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