Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Ed Yeates ReporitngA Kaysville, Utah man is back home this week, with two new lungs and a liver. Surgeons in Pittsburgh performed the multiple transplants that have only been done on two other cystic fibrosis patients.
The house here is the same, so is the neighborhood, but Seth Winegar's life now? That's completely changed. As a respected Utah artist, he paints now, breathing on his own with two healthy lungs.
Seth Winegar: "I've never been able to breathe this good."
And the new liver?
Seth Winegar: "Now, my liver numbers are perfect, and I've never had that."
Seth's life was fading fast five months ago at 32 years of age, cystic fibrosis patients usually don't live this long. Now, though, he is the recipient of what Pittsburgh surgeons call one of their most successful multiple transplants.
Seth Winegar: "In one single word, I would say a miracle. I've been blessed."
No more breathing tubes or gasping for air. No more restrictions on what he can or can't eat. From this point on, Seth can pretty much do what he wants to.
Seth Winegar: "I have a mountain bike with dust sitting on it out there. You know, I'm the oldest of six brothers. My brothers, they're all healthy, strong, big kids. I can go hang out with ‘em again."
In addition to two new lungs and a liver, Pittsburgh surgeons also repaired a murmur in his heart.
Seth Winegar: "They want them drawn once a week, my levels drawn."
For a while anyway, Seth will need his blood tested every week, and a return visit to Pittsburgh for tissue sampling every two months. But for the most part…
Seth Winegar: "I got a brother-in-law who likes to fish. He's, ‘Seth, you ready to go fishing now.'"
Fishing and much more. Seth's rebuilt body - inside, in part at least - is rapidly turning around.
The sale of Seth's paintings at Park City's Meyer Gallery and contributions from friends and family are helping pay for the one and a quarter million dollar surgery.
