Josh Ommen, Transplant Recipient
I woke up with a new liver and a new life...
I was diagnosed with stage 4 liver disease on Dec. 7, 2017. I wasn’t given a year to live. I didn’t have any family in the area, but I had some good friends (basically family). I worked with the system while I was getting extremely sick day-by-day, spending most of my time in hospitals. After I spent six months with a transplant team they denied me to get on the list with only a month left of life! My caregivers and I did not give up, so we tried another hospital. Within a week, my insurance and the transplant team approved me. My MELD score was anywhere between 35 – 39 in the last month. They called me for a liver within two weeks. When I got there the liver wouldn’t work, and neither would the next two within the next two weeks. I was laying in the hospital the last week of my life. I already accepted death and was praying for God to take me. They told us I probably wouldn’t see tomorrow, but that night a perfect liver came in and I headed into surgery with a MELD score of 42! I woke up later with a new liver and a new life. It has been so amazing. I recreated myself and am blessed every day! I carry a heavy heart for the people that had to pass away so I can live, but I’m honoring them by staying healthy, eating right and exercising. I am also writing a few books and working on inspirational speaking. I was discharged six days post-transplant and now six months later I am feeling great and doing many activities.
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