I love you you just make sure you have
sweet dreams okay that Sarah I love you
we’re just outside the door you’re great
we have bent the wrong McDonald House as
the last week two years there’s so many
different families that come and go here
all the time you’re always wondering one
day it’s gonna be my time to leave here
but we couldn’t do what we do every day
with Katy without being here
that wasn’t tables a junior that was
some time for senior year that was the
summer before the accident
[Music]
Katy was our old soul kid she’d just
soon stay at home be with family watch
20 rounds of Grey’s Anatomy Katy’s a
type of kid that trusted to a fault is
nearing the end of her senior year and
she had a lot on her as a lot of seniors
in high school do
March 25th 2014 that morning she’d been
hurt by something that it happened when
it wasn’t a friendship all I saw was her
legs and then got called my husband I
could tell she was discovered what she
said Rob Katy’s gone I said gone what do
you mean gone
and she said she she sought herself one
doctor has said that this is probably
she they had her over here this morning
thank good Maggie always wanted to get
you on your bike and never did every
time she came through okay here’s your
you drive sweet here we’re getting ready
for Katie’s face transplant we go to
rehabs during the week and that’s with
all these doctors appointments our weeks
say that for me one more time Oh Katie
neurologically she’s all there it’s just
she gets to these episodes where she can
just stop seeing me don’t be sorry Katie
yep that’s that okay to the right yep
Federer moments where you fall apart
like a house of cards but I think when
you go through something like this to
the best of your ability there’s not
much you take for granted anymore Jen
even though yeah good for all this yeah
it’s hard to really describe the
importance of a face but being able to
kiss being able to show emotion those
are basic parts that we take from an
everyday we project to the people in
front of us and then they project back
so you don’t get back the feedback that
you only would expect it could be
sadness that could be anger it could be
love it could be affection we’ve been
very surprised that the remarkable
recovery she’s me she’s by far not done
and she’s a long way to go but in this
case we’re talking about someone who has
had the most extensive trauma imaginable
we have to go very far beyond you to do
with conventional techniques or
prosthetics and only a face transplant
[Music]
we always have a team ready
but once we listed her we came together
as a group
it must have been over 50 or 60 here
health care givers from every major area
of Medicine that would deal with her we
then did many practice runs that we
continued to do them in the cadaver lab
and as much as we think we know exactly
we want to do every time something new
comes up some other idea comes up to
hopefully enhance what we’re going to do
since March 18th she’s been on the
official face transplant list every day
I kind of wake up you think this could
be the day and and then you can get
through tons where there’s not a call or
anything and you kind of get a little
discouraged and disappointed but with
hope and anticipation we know it’ll
[Music]
we were very close like very very close
I was a cluster right it was perfect
the problem was oh my goodness I know
the problem was there was some serology
that would have been a no-go for her you
couldn’t take the risk so that was it
you know next month two three four right
now right now I want one for you two but
I want the right daughter for you okay
that’s the main thing I wanted to see
you hopefully the next time they are
very mystical okay we got that call
lets-a-go you need to be here tonight at
[Music]
yeah we’re gonna start with the donor
about seven and I think Katie will pie
get down there by about 9:00 a.m. they
still envisioning 24:32 every time yeah
I imagine I mean I think you know I’m
thinking in my head 30 hours so right
between that timeframe that you’re
talking about
I think you could kind of hear initially
but on the donor we’re going to we’re
going to not the main goal is is all is
this that’s the main goal this is we’re
gonna do a little bit up here but it’s
not a major part of what we do
thank you for mercy’s that are new every
in order to get to the tissues in the
create space for what we’re
transplanting on all this has to be
removed including bone here bone here
bone here bone here and we need access
to it while still preserving things that
makers filter by Katie there’s always
the risk that in the middle of working
to prepare Katie we could have to stop
and be left with virtually nothing
Katie said to me if something happens to
me during the transplant I don’t want
you to be upset that was probably a lot
once we make a decision there’s no going
back no matter how much planning you do
and we actually got three-dimensional
CTS made of the donor and of Katie to
help us figure this out and despite all
that it didn’t matter because in some
ways Katie’s face was longer but the
donor space was wider and so we had to
make decisions where are we going to
make it perfect and where as a result
I kept waiting for them to come out and
say like we’ve got this problem we got
and was near midnight when we brought
[Music]
at that points we have to make a
you know the more that we think about
what she would want there lies the
answer not just now but five years ten
years twenty years four years from now
you want to do the gut check again that
good good sense I think we did the right
she’ll be in the hospital for at least a
month but we won’t expect any nerve
recovery for probably a minimum of six
months so it’s gonna be a long recovery
I would think at least two years before
the last tournaments have been they have
been long and had some bumpy days this
charge is like you are transitioning
from one aspect of care to we did form a
lot of relationships with them because
dr. guessin said the next several months
Katie will be a professional patient
lots of rehab lots of strength training
doctor’s appointments trying to get all
her meds settled which one she’ll have
to stay on you just know in your head
it’s going to be busy doctor guess and
so it would take six months to a year to
get her smile back the sensation is
it really is about marching towards
little by little getting back into the
arena of life not back as the way it
used to because nothing will ever be the
same again we’re allowed to write a
letter to the donor and their family and
if they would like to receive it then
they can receive it if not they just
keep it at the hospital but we do plan
on writing a letter that’s totally up to
them and we totally understand you know
but we’re just very grateful Adria was
we didn’t always get along you know how
it is with your family but we didn’t
being able to spend a time together
in a year or six months before she
passed away
if Adria was willing to donate her
organs you know why would she need a
face you know I still wrestle with that
every knowing that well it’s something I
didn’t expect and so I thought about it
prayed about it this is the right thing
to do so someone else can have maybe a
better life yeah that’s what made my
decision I knew it was going to take
someone special to give their daughters
or granddaughters or wives
face to so someone else could live you
do be nervous I mean absolutely
I saw the grandma on the drive over
there we can wait outside he’ll be blue
it’s all good
just relax and then afterwards we’ll go
out for pizza and beer
how are you who is this lovely person hi
just and your granddaughter was
beautiful she was a beautiful girl I
think that must have been it was
something it was not long ago really it
was a very recent picture I think you
were God for all that you’ve done
we asked your blessing
[Music]
you see any change her eye function is
unbelievable I mean close your eyes for
us
I mean smile she couldn’t do any of that
a month ago took home is two years on
the other patients so I’m really excited
about what another month is gonna be for
now you know that’s great nice I mean
isn’t it amazing out a way to here and
then all sudden that starts rolling out
are you sore last time where
oh yeah will ya sorry wanted to be sore
sometimes some angles someone with some
daesh’s you really appreciate how much
has changed since the transplant what’s
the area
on perform [Music]
[Music] or do you feel like it belongs to you
or do you feel like it belongs to you now your new lips
now your new lips I saw
oh she is today that you right now Rob’s trying to seek employment yeah I’m
trying to seek employment yeah I’m begging to teaching for the phone well
begging to teaching for the phone well no it would help us get back into yeah
no it would help us get back into yeah thank you
if you live long enough you’re gonna walk through something maybe not to this
walk through something maybe not to this degree but you’re gonna walk through
degree but you’re gonna walk through something and and it’s gonna be painful
something and and it’s gonna be painful and you’re gonna have very little
and you’re gonna have very little control over it but you know you have a
control over it but you know you have a choice to make whether you’re going to
choice to make whether you’re going to hold on to it or use it let it change
hold on to it or use it let it change you you really have to appreciate life
you you really have to appreciate life as a journey and recognize life as a
as a journey and recognize life as a learning curve having a transplant it’s
learning curve having a transplant it’s not you have a transplant you go back to
not you have a transplant you go back to living it’s an exchange it’s a different
living it’s an exchange it’s a different life and she will always have to
life and she will always have to remember I can never not remember to
remember I can never not remember to take my meds but it is an exchange that
take my meds but it is an exchange that one welcome you got a walk on it yeah
one welcome you got a walk on it yeah but we have such a long ways to go
but we have such a long ways to go [Music]
you [Music]
sweet dreams okay that Sarah I love you
we’re just outside the door you’re great
we have bent the wrong McDonald House as
the last week two years there’s so many
different families that come and go here
all the time you’re always wondering one
day it’s gonna be my time to leave here
but we couldn’t do what we do every day
with Katy without being here
that wasn’t tables a junior that was
some time for senior year that was the
summer before the accident
[Music]
Katy was our old soul kid she’d just
soon stay at home be with family watch
20 rounds of Grey’s Anatomy Katy’s a
type of kid that trusted to a fault is
nearing the end of her senior year and
she had a lot on her as a lot of seniors
in high school do
March 25th 2014 that morning she’d been
hurt by something that it happened when
it wasn’t a friendship all I saw was her
legs and then got called my husband I
could tell she was discovered what she
said Rob Katy’s gone I said gone what do
you mean gone
and she said she she sought herself one
doctor has said that this is probably
she they had her over here this morning
thank good Maggie always wanted to get
you on your bike and never did every
time she came through okay here’s your
you drive sweet here we’re getting ready
for Katie’s face transplant we go to
rehabs during the week and that’s with
all these doctors appointments our weeks
say that for me one more time Oh Katie
neurologically she’s all there it’s just
she gets to these episodes where she can
just stop seeing me don’t be sorry Katie
yep that’s that okay to the right yep
Federer moments where you fall apart
like a house of cards but I think when
you go through something like this to
the best of your ability there’s not
much you take for granted anymore Jen
even though yeah good for all this yeah
it’s hard to really describe the
importance of a face but being able to
kiss being able to show emotion those
are basic parts that we take from an
everyday we project to the people in
front of us and then they project back
so you don’t get back the feedback that
you only would expect it could be
sadness that could be anger it could be
love it could be affection we’ve been
very surprised that the remarkable
recovery she’s me she’s by far not done
and she’s a long way to go but in this
case we’re talking about someone who has
had the most extensive trauma imaginable
we have to go very far beyond you to do
with conventional techniques or
prosthetics and only a face transplant
[Music]
we always have a team ready
but once we listed her we came together
as a group
it must have been over 50 or 60 here
health care givers from every major area
of Medicine that would deal with her we
then did many practice runs that we
continued to do them in the cadaver lab
and as much as we think we know exactly
we want to do every time something new
comes up some other idea comes up to
hopefully enhance what we’re going to do
since March 18th she’s been on the
official face transplant list every day
I kind of wake up you think this could
be the day and and then you can get
through tons where there’s not a call or
anything and you kind of get a little
discouraged and disappointed but with
hope and anticipation we know it’ll
[Music]
we were very close like very very close
I was a cluster right it was perfect
the problem was oh my goodness I know
the problem was there was some serology
that would have been a no-go for her you
couldn’t take the risk so that was it
you know next month two three four right
now right now I want one for you two but
I want the right daughter for you okay
that’s the main thing I wanted to see
you hopefully the next time they are
very mystical okay we got that call
lets-a-go you need to be here tonight at
[Music]
yeah we’re gonna start with the donor
about seven and I think Katie will pie
get down there by about 9:00 a.m. they
still envisioning 24:32 every time yeah
I imagine I mean I think you know I’m
thinking in my head 30 hours so right
between that timeframe that you’re
talking about
I think you could kind of hear initially
but on the donor we’re going to we’re
going to not the main goal is is all is
this that’s the main goal this is we’re
gonna do a little bit up here but it’s
not a major part of what we do
thank you for mercy’s that are new every
in order to get to the tissues in the
create space for what we’re
transplanting on all this has to be
removed including bone here bone here
bone here bone here and we need access
to it while still preserving things that
makers filter by Katie there’s always
the risk that in the middle of working
to prepare Katie we could have to stop
and be left with virtually nothing
Katie said to me if something happens to
me during the transplant I don’t want
you to be upset that was probably a lot
once we make a decision there’s no going
back no matter how much planning you do
and we actually got three-dimensional
CTS made of the donor and of Katie to
help us figure this out and despite all
that it didn’t matter because in some
ways Katie’s face was longer but the
donor space was wider and so we had to
make decisions where are we going to
make it perfect and where as a result
I kept waiting for them to come out and
say like we’ve got this problem we got
and was near midnight when we brought
[Music]
at that points we have to make a
you know the more that we think about
what she would want there lies the
answer not just now but five years ten
years twenty years four years from now
you want to do the gut check again that
good good sense I think we did the right
she’ll be in the hospital for at least a
month but we won’t expect any nerve
recovery for probably a minimum of six
months so it’s gonna be a long recovery
I would think at least two years before
the last tournaments have been they have
been long and had some bumpy days this
charge is like you are transitioning
from one aspect of care to we did form a
lot of relationships with them because
dr. guessin said the next several months
Katie will be a professional patient
lots of rehab lots of strength training
doctor’s appointments trying to get all
her meds settled which one she’ll have
to stay on you just know in your head
it’s going to be busy doctor guess and
so it would take six months to a year to
get her smile back the sensation is
it really is about marching towards
little by little getting back into the
arena of life not back as the way it
used to because nothing will ever be the
same again we’re allowed to write a
letter to the donor and their family and
if they would like to receive it then
they can receive it if not they just
keep it at the hospital but we do plan
on writing a letter that’s totally up to
them and we totally understand you know
but we’re just very grateful Adria was
we didn’t always get along you know how
it is with your family but we didn’t
being able to spend a time together
in a year or six months before she
passed away
if Adria was willing to donate her
organs you know why would she need a
face you know I still wrestle with that
every knowing that well it’s something I
didn’t expect and so I thought about it
prayed about it this is the right thing
to do so someone else can have maybe a
better life yeah that’s what made my
decision I knew it was going to take
someone special to give their daughters
or granddaughters or wives
face to so someone else could live you
do be nervous I mean absolutely
I saw the grandma on the drive over
there we can wait outside he’ll be blue
it’s all good
just relax and then afterwards we’ll go
out for pizza and beer
how are you who is this lovely person hi
just and your granddaughter was
beautiful she was a beautiful girl I
think that must have been it was
something it was not long ago really it
was a very recent picture I think you
were God for all that you’ve done
we asked your blessing
[Music]
you see any change her eye function is
unbelievable I mean close your eyes for
us
I mean smile she couldn’t do any of that
a month ago took home is two years on
the other patients so I’m really excited
about what another month is gonna be for
now you know that’s great nice I mean
isn’t it amazing out a way to here and
then all sudden that starts rolling out
are you sore last time where
oh yeah will ya sorry wanted to be sore
sometimes some angles someone with some
daesh’s you really appreciate how much
has changed since the transplant what’s
the area
on perform [Music]
[Music] or do you feel like it belongs to you
or do you feel like it belongs to you now your new lips
now your new lips I saw
oh she is today that you right now Rob’s trying to seek employment yeah I’m
trying to seek employment yeah I’m begging to teaching for the phone well
begging to teaching for the phone well no it would help us get back into yeah
no it would help us get back into yeah thank you
if you live long enough you’re gonna walk through something maybe not to this
walk through something maybe not to this degree but you’re gonna walk through
degree but you’re gonna walk through something and and it’s gonna be painful
something and and it’s gonna be painful and you’re gonna have very little
and you’re gonna have very little control over it but you know you have a
control over it but you know you have a choice to make whether you’re going to
choice to make whether you’re going to hold on to it or use it let it change
hold on to it or use it let it change you you really have to appreciate life
you you really have to appreciate life as a journey and recognize life as a
as a journey and recognize life as a learning curve having a transplant it’s
learning curve having a transplant it’s not you have a transplant you go back to
not you have a transplant you go back to living it’s an exchange it’s a different
living it’s an exchange it’s a different life and she will always have to
life and she will always have to remember I can never not remember to
remember I can never not remember to take my meds but it is an exchange that
take my meds but it is an exchange that one welcome you got a walk on it yeah
one welcome you got a walk on it yeah but we have such a long ways to go
but we have such a long ways to go [Music]
you [Music]
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