Mahanoy Township Supervisor Recovers After Double Transplant

NEW BOSTON - After a double organ transplant involving threemembers of the family, the Bradburys have learned to appreciate thelittle things in life.

Mahanoy Township Supervisor Tim Bradbury, 60, continues torecuperate at Penn State Hershey Rehabilitation Hospital after arare simultaneous dual-living organ transplant performed at PennState Milton S. Hershey Medical Center on March 15.

His wife of 22 years, Mary Ellen, 55, who donated a kidney, andson James, 19, who donated part of his liver, are also healing fromdoing their part to save their loved one's life.

"It may not appear like it to others who haven't seen him like wehave, but he is improving by leaps and bounds," James said. "In thelast three weeks, he's been doing so much better."

Mary Ellen said her husband was born with a deficiency in hisliver and his parents did not think surgery was an option.

"They took him and had him Pow-Wowed," Mary Ellen said Thursday.

Pow-Wow is a combination of Pennsylvania Dutch and NativeAmerican healing traditions.

"He lived for almost 60 years on olive oil and prayers," MaryEllen said.

She said in 2009, Tim began to feel ill and his stomach began toswell. He was diagnosed with non-alcohol cirrhosis of the liver.

After seeing local doctors, he was referred to Penn State MiltonS. Hershey Medical Center and he was told he needed a livertransplant.

Tim's risk of death on the waiting list for a standard donor wasvery high.

The Bradburys' eldest son, Brian Jones, 31, searched the internetand discovered a transplant could be done with a living donor, thatBradbury might not have to wait for a cadaver.

"He was the first one tested but he was unable to donate," MaryEllen said. "While they were doing blood work on Tim, the doctorsdetermined his kidneys were failing and he would also need a kidneyin order to survive."

Tim became the first person at Penn State Milton S. HersheyMedical Center to receive the simultaneous dual living organtransplant.

According to hospital information, simultaneous transplants ofmultiple organs from multiple living donors to a single recipientare exceedingly rare in the U.S. The procedure has been performedwith a liver and kidney coming from different living donors just 10other times since 1987.

Mary Ellen was tested to be a kidney or liver donor and it wasdetermined her kidney was a match for her husband. Bradbury'syounger sons, Timmy, 22, and James were tested for liver donationand James was a match.

Mary Ellen said Dr. Zakiyah Kadry, chief of transplant surgeryand surgical director of liver transplantation, performed thetransplant and Dr. Ian Schreibman, gastroenterologist, was the liverspecialist during the procedure.

"We each had our own transplant team to help us through it," MaryEllen said. "The greatest day of my life was when my team told me wewere all good to go. Dr. Kandry's guidelines for transplant are eventougher than the federal government's. She won't do anything to putthe patient or donors at risk."

The surgery took more than 19 hours and 30 transplant teammembers, with James going into surgery first followed by Tim andthen Mary Ellen.

"Everything went well and as soon as they were hooked up theorgans worked immediately. It was amazing," Mary Ellen said."Everything that was supposed to happen, happened."

Bradbury and James are healing from their surgeries.

"I'm doing well. I just get a little tired sometimes," Mary Ellensaid.

James had a little tougher recovery.

"I took a month to regenerate the liver and three weeks until Iwas comfortable standing and walking," James said. "But aside from ahuge scar, I'm fine."

The transplant was performed while James was on spring break fromclasses at Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville.

"My professors and instructors were more than lenient. I haveuntil September to make up some of the work in one class and therest of the classes I came out with As and Bs," he said.

Unfortunately on March 16, the day after the surgery, Timsuffered a stroke that affected his right side. He has also battledgout, brought on from the anti-rejection drugs and his blood sugarhas been elevated.

Tim was moved to the rehabilitation facility where he is workingwith therapist to gain back his motor skills.

"It's going to be a long process but the doctors are expectinghim to make a full recovery," Mary Ellen said. "He's coming aroundand starting to stand and walk again. So many things that we alltake for granted, like feeding yourself or standing, he has to learnto do all over again."

Mary Ellen said the therapists have really turned Tim around andthe medical professionals said as his organs begin to function asthey should, his family will see a difference.

"And we really have," Mary Ellen said. "He is now looking aheadwhere before he was disgusted."

Mary Ellen said Tim was able to attend Brian's wedding in May viaSkype, which allows video to be transferred over the internet.

"He was supposed to be the best man and even though he couldn'tstand there with him, he was there. He could be a part of it andpeople got a chance to see him, which was nice," she said.

Mary Ellen said the outpouring of support from friends,neighbors, co-workers and even local people that she doesn't evenknow has been a tremendous help in the family's healing process.

"The outpouring of support from this community has been amazing.People will never understand what it meant to us," Mary Ellen said."The township supervisors and the Good American Fire Company held aspaghetti fund raiser for us, which was amazing. People I workedwith 30 years ago sent cards. It was wonderful to feel the support.At some point he must have done something for people that they areshowing support for him. But that is just what people do in the coalregion. We are very fortunate that this is where we live."

Mary Ellen said Tim plans to return to the supervisors' meetingsas soon as he is able.

"We are hoping for the June or July meeting," she said. "He willbe in a wheelchair, but he'll be there. He misses it."