Charlotte's story
Charlotte, lung transplant since 2020 at the age of 5
We had to accept that medicine had reached its limits here
Months before the diagnosis, Charlotte realized how serious the situation was. Her heart hurt when she walked because of the strain, tightness and pressure in her throat and not enough air to breathe. From the diagnosis onwards, everything happened so quickly: the examinations, the treatments, the deteriorations. We had to accept that medicine has its limits here and that life can be short. Four months after the diagnosis, we found ourselves in a completely new life. With the last remaining treatment option: a lung transplant. People get used to the most abstruse things incredibly quickly... Our new normal is a great achievement and defies the many restrictions and hygiene regulations we have had since then. In a life far removed from the normality of a typical 6-year-old (LTX at 5), you learn to accept the most unpleasant conditions and to find joy in every day, because what could be more important for us?
It is touching how many great and warm people you meet on such a journey through life.
We value our friendships and the social system in this country, in which there are so many safe havens and offers of support for us. It is touching how many great and warm people you meet on such a journey through life. We collect them in our treasure chest as moments that we would otherwise not have been able to experience. The lung for my daughter is the greatest gift we have ever received - from another loving mother/father. Now our Charlotte has no more pain, can breathe and can romp around and live like a normal transplanted child.
What a miracle of medicine!