Douglas Espinoza
Receiving a liver transplant changed Douglas Espinoza's outlook on life.
“Nothing but praise for the liver transplant team and the hospital staff,” says Douglas.
Douglas Espinoza, 62, developed stage 4 cirrhosis, a condition in which your liver is scarred and permanently damaged. Scar tissue replaces healthy tissue and causes the liver to lose functionality. The liver can then no longer filter out toxins from the blood. Some of the symptoms Douglas experienced included swelling in the legs, dizziness, exhaustion, and he also struggled with his mental health.
Douglas’ first encounter with Dr. Luke Shen, his physician, was about eight years ago when he was told they found cancer in his liver amongst other health issues he was already experiencing. It was very difficult for Douglas to hear such terrible news, however, the transplant team did an exceptional job in communicating and comforting him. During his chemotherapy, he caught sepsis and was in the hospital for two months. The hallucinations began and Douglas suffered memory loss for about six weeks. According to his physicians, because of the sepsis, they did not think he would a qualifying candidate for a liver transplant and was very close to dying.
Fortunately, Douglas was cleared and placed on the transplant list on August 16, 2022. A couple weeks later, he received a phone call from the transplant team and they shared the good news — Douglas received his liver transplant on September 15, 2022. It was a life-changing event. Douglas felt anxious, worried and unsure of the outcome, but everything went well.
“My surgeon saved my life,” said Douglas. He is very grateful to his wife and the transplant team for supporting him throughout this journey. He was discharged seven days post-surgery and was back to work within two months as a Master Electrician. “Receiving a liver transplant has changed my outlook on life. You get use to your body feeling a certain way, and now I am more appreciative of my health and the fact that I have more energy.”
“This incredible team gave my husband a second chance at life,” said Daryl Espinoza, Douglas’ wife. “We attended an Elton John concert shortly after his surgery and it was an amazing experience.”