Staying strong through liver transplant
Jeanette DiRubba, Reporter
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: Campus Life
The only way freshman Rachel Hawkins could keep her mind off a life-changing medical process was to say, "If you don't laugh, you're going to cry."
Hawkins received a liver transplant five years ago and is the model student of this semester's theme for the American Humanics Club, said member Justine Banks. She said the club hopes to get as many students as possible to sign up and become organ donors. Stations around campus will be set up with information soon.
Hawkins received her liver transplant after several trips to different doctors' offices in order to receive multiple opinions, she said. What initiated these trips was a slight pain on the left side of her body during a volleyball game. All the opinions reached one conclusion: Hawkins had a severely enlarged liver and spleen, and, after a week spent at Cleveland's Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, it was conclusive that she needed a liver transplant.
"When I found out, I wasn't really freaked out on the outside because everyone else around me was," Hawkins said. "I felt like I had to be strong. I was their pillar. I kept my fear bottled up," she said.
Hawkins said that friends told her family about Teralynn Landis' family. Landis, who just recently passed away from her fourth liver transplant, had already received three liver transplants, and thus was able to help Hawkins deal with the reality of transplant surgery. The Landis family recommended the Hospital of Pittsburgh, the premiere transplant hospital in the United States, Hawkins said.
After being put on an organ donation list, Hawkins' name was skipped over several times because she was so healthy. Hawkins had Bud Chiari, a disease where all the veins in the liver cut off and obstruct blood flow that results in clotting. This disease was controlled by medications that enabled her to remain healthy. It wasn't until Hawkins developed Ascites — a condition where fluid is collected and remains in the abdomen — that the doctors started to actively look for a liver donor.
"Because I had all this fluid in my abdomen, my belly was huge! I couldn't bend over to tie my shoes!" she said. "I looked like I was pregnant, and, being only in eighth grade, I was so embarrassed. I wore big sweatshirts to class because I was so afraid people would spread rumors that I was pregnant."
Thankfully, Hawkins said, that didn't happen. She was able to wait about one and a half years before receiving her liver transplant in December 2002.
"When the Pittsburgh doctors called to tell me I had a liver, I was at school," Hawkins said. "I thought I was going to die on the way to the hospital because my dad was driving like a maniac," she said.
Hawkins said she doesn't remember much right before or after surgery, but her memory cleared up about three days after the operation.
"I do remember going into the bathroom right when I got to the hospital before surgery," she said. "I wanted to look at my stomach because that was the last time I would have it without a scar on it."
Hawkins' surgery lasted about 16 hours, and the doctors extracted 10 liters of fluid from her abdomen.
To date, Hawkins said she's had no problem with the liver transplant. Her body accepted the organ, but the new liver did not help shrink her enlarged spleen.
"The doctors didn't remove my spleen at first because they wanted to see if my new liver would bring it down to size, but that didn't help," she said.
Hawkins had her spleen removed three years ago, and, even with another operation, her body still has not rejected the liver. Hawkins said she must take multiple medications daily and for the rest of her life to stay healthy.
After surgery, she was tutored at home because she couldn't attend school for over two months. She was so weak she couldn't even pick herself up off a chair, Hawkins said.
Five years later, Hawkins said she is still known as "the girl that got the liver transplant."
"I know that my liver is a part of me, and I accept that, but I just don't want to be known for it," Hawkins said. "I hate when people are like, 'Oh, you're the girl with the liver!'" she said.
Every year since her transplant surgery, Hawkins attends a transplant summer camp called Camp Chihopi, where she serves as a camp counselor.
"This place is somewhere kids don't have to feel different for four days," she said. "When the kids go swimming, they compare scars from their surgery. I go so these kids can see that I'm older and I look fine, even years after my surgery," Hawkins said. "I want to be an example for them."
According to the Ohio Donor Registry
"The Ohio Donor Registry was established by the 123rd Ohio General Assembly through Senate Bill 188. The legislation was signed into law by Governor Bob Taft in December 2000 and the Donor Registry became operational on July 1, 2002.
The Ohio Donor Registry gives all Ohioans the opportunity to make a personal decision concerning donation. The Registry also allows you the opportunity to indicate restrictions or specifications to your anatomical gift.
To become an organ donor, sign up when you obtain or renew your Ohio driver license or state ID card at an Ohio BMV by saying "YES" when asked if you want to be an organ donor, or register online at www.donatelifeohio.org."
Hawkins received a liver transplant five years ago and is the model student of this semester's theme for the American Humanics Club, said member Justine Banks. She said the club hopes to get as many students as possible to sign up and become organ donors. Stations around campus will be set up with information soon.
Hawkins received her liver transplant after several trips to different doctors' offices in order to receive multiple opinions, she said. What initiated these trips was a slight pain on the left side of her body during a volleyball game. All the opinions reached one conclusion: Hawkins had a severely enlarged liver and spleen, and, after a week spent at Cleveland's Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, it was conclusive that she needed a liver transplant.
"When I found out, I wasn't really freaked out on the outside because everyone else around me was," Hawkins said. "I felt like I had to be strong. I was their pillar. I kept my fear bottled up," she said.
Hawkins said that friends told her family about Teralynn Landis' family. Landis, who just recently passed away from her fourth liver transplant, had already received three liver transplants, and thus was able to help Hawkins deal with the reality of transplant surgery. The Landis family recommended the Hospital of Pittsburgh, the premiere transplant hospital in the United States, Hawkins said.
After being put on an organ donation list, Hawkins' name was skipped over several times because she was so healthy. Hawkins had Bud Chiari, a disease where all the veins in the liver cut off and obstruct blood flow that results in clotting. This disease was controlled by medications that enabled her to remain healthy. It wasn't until Hawkins developed Ascites — a condition where fluid is collected and remains in the abdomen — that the doctors started to actively look for a liver donor.
"Because I had all this fluid in my abdomen, my belly was huge! I couldn't bend over to tie my shoes!" she said. "I looked like I was pregnant, and, being only in eighth grade, I was so embarrassed. I wore big sweatshirts to class because I was so afraid people would spread rumors that I was pregnant."
Thankfully, Hawkins said, that didn't happen. She was able to wait about one and a half years before receiving her liver transplant in December 2002.
"When the Pittsburgh doctors called to tell me I had a liver, I was at school," Hawkins said. "I thought I was going to die on the way to the hospital because my dad was driving like a maniac," she said.
Hawkins said she doesn't remember much right before or after surgery, but her memory cleared up about three days after the operation.
"I do remember going into the bathroom right when I got to the hospital before surgery," she said. "I wanted to look at my stomach because that was the last time I would have it without a scar on it."
Hawkins' surgery lasted about 16 hours, and the doctors extracted 10 liters of fluid from her abdomen.
To date, Hawkins said she's had no problem with the liver transplant. Her body accepted the organ, but the new liver did not help shrink her enlarged spleen.
"The doctors didn't remove my spleen at first because they wanted to see if my new liver would bring it down to size, but that didn't help," she said.
Hawkins had her spleen removed three years ago, and, even with another operation, her body still has not rejected the liver. Hawkins said she must take multiple medications daily and for the rest of her life to stay healthy.
After surgery, she was tutored at home because she couldn't attend school for over two months. She was so weak she couldn't even pick herself up off a chair, Hawkins said.
Five years later, Hawkins said she is still known as "the girl that got the liver transplant."
"I know that my liver is a part of me, and I accept that, but I just don't want to be known for it," Hawkins said. "I hate when people are like, 'Oh, you're the girl with the liver!'" she said.
Every year since her transplant surgery, Hawkins attends a transplant summer camp called Camp Chihopi, where she serves as a camp counselor.
"This place is somewhere kids don't have to feel different for four days," she said. "When the kids go swimming, they compare scars from their surgery. I go so these kids can see that I'm older and I look fine, even years after my surgery," Hawkins said. "I want to be an example for them."
According to the Ohio Donor Registry
"The Ohio Donor Registry was established by the 123rd Ohio General Assembly through Senate Bill 188. The legislation was signed into law by Governor Bob Taft in December 2000 and the Donor Registry became operational on July 1, 2002.
The Ohio Donor Registry gives all Ohioans the opportunity to make a personal decision concerning donation. The Registry also allows you the opportunity to indicate restrictions or specifications to your anatomical gift.
To become an organ donor, sign up when you obtain or renew your Ohio driver license or state ID card at an Ohio BMV by saying "YES" when asked if you want to be an organ donor, or register online at www.donatelifeohio.org."
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