Chicago Resident, 84, Gets a New Start with Kidney Transplant
Thanks to a successful organ transplant he was able to resume most of his activities.
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September 21, 2009
Juan Guano was an active senior - fond of travel and pursuing a career as a sculptor - but years of kidney dialysis finally began to take its toll and his health started declining. Fortunately, thanks to a successful organ transplant he was able to resume most of his activities.
Dr Dixon Kaufman, who performed the surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, says Guano is now off dialysis, significantly enhancing his quality of life, and uses only an over-the-counter pain medication.
While not all cases of organ deterioration are preventable, a healthy lifestyle - including diet, exercise and non-smoking - can significantly minimize the risk. The same factors aid in the recovery process of those who end up receiving an organ transplant, as Guano's doctor confirms.
"It was an easy decision to go ahead with the transplant when he presented to the hospital because he had taken good care of himself up to that time," says Kaufman, adding, "[unsurprisingly], he recuperated from the surgery very well."
In fact, Guano continues to thrive pursuing his passion for sculpture, and is currently working on an artwork that is set to be displayed in Ecuador upon completion.
"I may be 84, but I feel like a young man and I have much left that I want to accomplish," he says.
Around 16,000 kidney transplants are conducted in the U.S. each year. Those who are facing the prospect of surgery, as well as families of survivors or those who would like to contribute may visit the United Network for Organ Sharing.
Juan Guano was an active senior - fond of travel and pursuing a career as a sculptor - but years of kidney dialysis finally began to take its toll and his health started declining. Fortunately, thanks to a successful organ transplant he was able to resume most of his activities.
Dr Dixon Kaufman, who performed the surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, says Guano is now off dialysis, significantly enhancing his quality of life, and uses only an over-the-counter pain medication.
While not all cases of organ deterioration are preventable, a healthy lifestyle - including diet, exercise and non-smoking - can significantly minimize the risk. The same factors aid in the recovery process of those who end up receiving an organ transplant, as Guano's doctor confirms.
"It was an easy decision to go ahead with the transplant when he presented to the hospital because he had taken good care of himself up to that time," says Kaufman, adding, "[unsurprisingly], he recuperated from the surgery very well."
In fact, Guano continues to thrive pursuing his passion for sculpture, and is currently working on an artwork that is set to be displayed in Ecuador upon completion.
"I may be 84, but I feel like a young man and I have much left that I want to accomplish," he says.
Around 16,000 kidney transplants are conducted in the U.S. each year. Those who are facing the prospect of surgery, as well as families of survivors or those who would like to contribute may visit the United Network for Organ Sharing.
