Henry Ford Health performs Michigan’s first COVID-linked double lung transplant

DETROIT – Doctors at Henry Ford Hospital performed the first double lung transplant in Michigan related to COVID-19.

‘It was pretty foggy. I got sick so quickly, ”said Jackie Dennis.

Special education teacher Jackie Dennis was diagnosed with COVID in November last year.

“She went there with typical COVID symptoms. She had a cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache and nausea, ”said Dr. Lisa Allenspach.

Dennis was also pregnant. She gave birth to a little girl named Mia Rose. After delivery, COVID quickly took over her lungs and body and made it difficult for her to breathe.

Doctors put Dennis on a breathing machine.

“ECMO is a heart-lung machine that we use to deliver oxygen to the blood in the hope that the lungs will recover after a serious infection such as COVID,” said Dr. Victor Coba.

Doctors said Dennis needed a double lung transplant. She had the transplant on January 16 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. That was just seven weeks after her daughter was born.

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“I feel amazing. I feel pretty normal. I build strength by walking around. Things are a bit difficult, you may have to take too many steps to go up and down the stairs. In general, I can do anything I want except pick up Mia, ”said Dennis.

Dennis said she is grateful to friends and family. She wants to thank the family that a loved one lost to save her life.

“If they ever wanted to meet us or hear about us. I would be completely open to that. I’d tell them I’m so sorry. But I am very grateful, ”said Dennis.

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