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Marshall Curtis was diagnosed in 2009 with end stage liver failure and cirrhosis secondary to Alpha1 Antitrypsin deficiency. Obesity and encephalopathy were additional challenges confronting the Mayo team. He was recommended for a new study program combining a transplant and bariatric surgery to improve his chances for a transplant and long term survival. Listen to Marshall and his wife, Julie, tell how close he got to death and how this experience has changed their lives. This is an absolutely remarkable story!
One important thing that didn’t get said during this interview was that part of making the decision to come to Mayo for treatment was knowing that it would take a much higher MELD score to be eligible for a transplant than at the previous transplant center. This meant that I would have to be much sicker and much closer to death before I would receive a transplant. We understood this trade-off when we made the decision and in the end I pushed the limits of survival and the abilities of the staff. But even at the darkest moments when it looked like I was not likely to survive we never questioned our decision.
All patients have options and can look at transplant statistics on-line via the UNOS.org website. But in the end it become a choice between expediency and quality. Each has risks and benefits that need to be carefully considered. We know that for us we made the right decision.