The following is an excerpt from our Appeal letter. Follow this link to read the full letter PDF.
Right now, sitting here, I find myself profoundly transformed from the person I was a year or so ago.
I was asked to share my journey over the last 12 months and to tell you how the team at Cambridge Memorial Hospital’s (CMH) Regional Liver Health Program saved and changed my life.
As I approached my 50th birthday, I was living life, feeling invincible. I enjoyed spending time with the woman I wanted to marry, along with my mother, sister, family, and friends. To top it off, my collection of vinyl records and my two classic convertibles filled my free time and weekends. Life was amazing.
Gradually, I noticed that I had started to feel unwell a lot of the time. Although I sometimes skipped meals, I couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but I knew I was not myself.
I saw my family doctor for a check-up and blood work. The next day I was called and told to go to the Emergency Department (ED) – NOW!
While I sat there in the ED, I was terrified. I was told that I was in stage 4 liver failure. This was not part of the plan. This was more than a medical diagnosis – it was an unexpected shock.
I was immediately referred to the CMH Regional Liver Health Program where I met with Dr. Nguyen*, and Dr. Sarfaraz.** Every staff member I encountered at CMH displayed a remarkable level of commitment to their patients’ well-being.
When I went to CMH, nurses Rebecca and Tanya became the people I looked forward to seeing at my regular visits. They became my family at CMH while administering blood protein infusions and blood transfusions to try to help my liver self-heal. Doctors and nurses guided me and I carefully followed their instructions.
At a certain point in my treatment, it seemed like my liver might heal itself, and my family and I started feeling hopeful. But then, very quickly, my health took a turn for the worse, and I was told I needed a new liver to live.
The expertise, care, and compassion I received at CMH was crucial as I waited for a new liver. The Liver Clinic kept me alive until I underwent a transplant.
CMH’s Regional Liver Health Program is made possible because of your commitment to healthcare.
Your gift today means an opportunity for someone like me to have a future.
Sincerely,
Adam Zinger
CMH Regional Liver Health Program
Grateful Patient