Celebrating 20 years of life

Teacher makes most of 2nd chance a liver transplant gave her in 1987

By Jim Ritter, Health Reporter

July 2, 2007

Jerry and Kathy Turnquist threw a big party the other night to mark a very special anniversary.

It has been 20 years since a dramatic liver transplant saved Kathy's life and made the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Since then, the Elgin teacher has taught more than 500 second-graders. She and Jerry have adopted two sons. And they've seen Niagara Falls, Mt. Rushmore and the Grand Canyon.

Kathy Turnquist, with husband Terry and sons Dennis (left) and Eric on Sunday, holds an album of Chicago Sun-Times reports on her surgery. (Al Podgorski/Sun-Times)

"She's gone 20 years with great health and a great life because of that transplant," Jerry said.

Kathy was four months pregnant with her first child when she developed a severe case of hepatitis C. She went into a semicoma, and doctors had to abort her baby.

At one point, they gave her 12 hours to live.

A liver became available when a 34-year-old man died in a motorcycle accident. University of Chicago surgeons took a private jet to Colorado to retrieve it.

The eight-hour surgery began at 3 a.m. and went well. But there were some problems with rejection, and Kathy spent about five weeks in the hospital.

When she got home, friends greeted her with a banner that said, "Liver Up."

Back then, immune-suppressing drugs had more powerful side effects. Kathy and Jerry decided she wouldn't get pregnant again because they feared the drugs' effects on a baby. They adopted Dennis and Eric from Russian orphanages. Dennis, 13, is good at sports. Eric, 11, likes to fix things.

May need 2nd transplant

Kathy continues to take immune-suppressing drugs, which have caused high blood pressure and a few cancerous skin moles that had to be removed.

Transplanted livers have lasted longer than 30 years. But they are the exceptions.

Only 53 percent of livers from deceased donors have lasted longer than 10 years, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

Kathy is the longest survivor in her transplant support group.

But now even herliver is beginning to wear out.

She has cirrhosis, possibly inherited from her donor. She might need another transplant in five to seven years.

Learns to put off chores

More than 97,000 people are waiting for organ transplants, and the list keeps growing. To help increase awareness, Kathy Turnquist has given dozens of talks to high school students.

Kathy used to be the kind of person who plastered her home with Post-it Notes listing all the things she had to do. But her near-death experience changed all that.

Kathy has learned to put off chores and instead take time to ride a bike, play cards with her sons or write to a friend.

"Live each day as if it could be your last," she said. "If the house isn't clean, who cares?"

Copyright © 2007 The Chicago Sun Times.

This article posted July 25, 2007.