- Rock Riser’s journey through double lung transplant, lymphoma, chemo, radiation & CAR-T Cell Therapy at MUSC Charleston. 17 years old at transplant on 1.10.23. He is a junior at Branchville High School and an active member of Fellowship of Praise church in Santee, SC. Rock had Covid last year, followed by pneumonia but recovered with no known lingering side effects. He had scheduled Sinus Surgery on Nov 4, ‘22. He initially seemed to recover from this surgery. He spiked a high fever and rash about 9 days after surgery and after many trips to urgent care and ED, he was admitted to tRMC on Nov 20. He was transferred to ICU at Prisma Children’s Hospital 2 days later and has underwent so many tests and procedures for the next 9 days. He was intubated and put on a ventilator and air lifted to ICU at MUSC Children’s Hospital in Charleston. He continued to decline and demanded more oxygen support as they searched for answers. The doctors have no definitive answer why and what is attacking his lungs. 13 days later our family made the decision to transfer him to adult side of MUSC and put him on ECMO which is a machine that oxygenates his blood and takes over breathing for him. Our goal for Rock is for his lungs to rest while ECMO does all the work and for him to get stronger. That did not happen. He continued to get weaker and the doctors told us his only option was for a double lung transplant. But he had to get stronger to qualify to get on the transplant list. It seemed impossible. But the amazing team at MUSC in Charleston, SC worked diligently with him and he was placed on the transplant list. He received new lungs on January 10, 2023. He stayed in the hospital over a month and then transferred to a local apartment so he could be near the hospital for rehab. He was released to home on April 8, 2023. He continues visits to MUSC for labs and for rehab but is growing stronger each day. Please pray for the donor family. Without them, none of this would have been possible. And the amazing transplant team at MUSC. We have tried to document his journey so others will be encouraged. We give praise to God for keeping His hand on Rock. Admitted to Prisma Columbia, SC ICU on 11.20.22
Put on ventilator and airlifted to MUSC 11.30.22
79 days in hospital total
27 days on ECMO at MUSC beginning 12.13.22
New lungs 1.10.23
60 days outpatient rehab in Charleston at apartment near hospital
Welcome Home Parade April 8th, 2023
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