Addison Rerecich Explained

Addison Rerecich
Birth Date:October 1, 1999
Birth Place:Marana, Arizona, United States
Death Place:Marana, Arizona, United States

Addison Rerecich (October 1, 1999 – December 30, 2019)[1] was an American double-lung transplant recipient who spent the longest documented duration of time using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy at 93 days.[2] [3] She underwent the transplant at age 11 in 2011 and was the subject of a 2013 episode of Frontline on PBS. She suffered from Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a difficult-to-treat staph infection.[4] [5]

Infection

In May 2011, Rerecich began showing a variety of symptoms including fatigue, hip pain, and a high fever. Her mother Tonya, a registered nurse, gave Addison ibuprofen to treat the symptoms and eventually took her to a local hospital. Doctors there suspected a virus, but the pain and fever continued to get worse over the following few days. Eventually, Tonya took her daughter to the Diamond Children's Medical Center, a part of the University of Arizona Medical Center.[6] The day she arrived at the hospital, Addison went into septic shock and was soon placed on ECMO therapy to sustain life.[7] Doctors eventually discovered that she had contracted an antibiotic-resistant strain of MRSA (probably from a scrape or scab).[8] Other complications she encountered during her five-month hospital stay included Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, e. coli, a drug-resistant form of pneumonia, a pulmonary embolism, and a stroke.[9] [10] She also underwent several surgeries.[11]

Double-lung transplant

In September 2011, Rerecich underwent a successful double-lung transplant surgery. She returned home in November 2011. The total medical cost of her hospital stay reached $6 million.[12] Rerecich continued to engage in physical therapy and took dozens of medications daily to limit the chance of infection.

Death

Rerecich’s body began to reject her lungs in early 2019. She refused to have another transplant. Rerecich died in her home on December 30, 2019, surrounded by friends and family at the age of 20.[13] [14]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Innes . Stephanie . September 25, 2011 . Local girl near death is saved by double-lung transplant . Arizona Daily Star . August 7, 2018.
  2. News: Riley . Katie . March 13, 2013 . UAMC Uses Technology to Save Patients With Extreme Heart Failure . University of Arizona . August 7, 2018.
  3. News: Slaten . Darci . September 15, 2011 . The University of Arizona Medical Center – University Campus and Diamond Children's Receive 'ELSO Award for Excellence in Life Support' . University of Arizona . August 7, 2018 . March 29, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190329222755/https://opa.uahs.arizona.edu/newsroom/news/2011/university-arizona-medical-center-%E2%80%93-university-campus-and-diamond-children%E2%80%99s-rece . dead .
  4. Hunting the Nightmare Bacteria . Frontline . Hoffman . David E. (correspondent) . PBS . October 22, 2013 . 31 . 14.
  5. News: Marco . Meg . October 22, 2013 . We Are In The Era Of "Nightmare" Bacteria And Nobody Seems To Care . The Consumerist . August 7, 2018.
  6. News: Innes . Stephanie . November 2, 2011 . Young Tucson double lung recipient back at home . Arizona Daily Star . August 7, 2018.
  7. News: Innes . Stephanie . April 8, 2012 . New lungs and hard fight give Addie her 2nd wind . Arizona Daily Star . August 7, 2018.
  8. News: O'Reilly . Scott . February 6, 2017 . Surviving Superbugs: 3 Amazing People Who Battled Deadly Bacteria . Alternative Daily . August 7, 2018.
  9. News: Rerecich . Tonya . February 2012 . Addie Rerecich . Infectious Diseases Society of America . dead . August 7, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180727060242/http://www.idsociety.org/Addie_Rerecich/ . July 27, 2018.
  10. News: Innes . Stephanie . November 22, 2012 . Thankful for every day . Arizona Daily Star . August 7, 2018.
  11. News: Innes . Stephanie . July 31, 2011 . Families of ill, injured finding support online . Arizona Daily Star . August 7, 2018.
  12. News: Boucher . Helen . June 13, 2013 . We need more new antibiotics . CNN . August 7, 2018.
  13. News: Overall . John . December 31, 2019 . Addison Rerecich, beloved Tucsonan passes away at age 20 . KVOA Tucson. August 6, 2022.
  14. News: Burch . Cathalena E.. December 31, 2019 . 'Pink Ninja' Addison Rerecich dies at 20 . tucson.com. August 6, 2022.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Addison Rerecich".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.