MARY BALDASANO / SPECIAL TO THE PVT Nancy Lawson relaxes on her sofa after returning from UCLA Medical Hospital. Advertisement

Nancy Lawson is a phenomenal lady. Looking at her, one would never know that she had a double lung transplant in April. This medical miracle not only saved her life but strengthened her faith in God.

In February, Lawson learned that she had only a couple months to live unless she received a transplant. In hopes of receiving one, she and husband Larry traveled to Los Angeles and parked their RV near the hospital at UCLA -- and waited.

Most of us who have had to spend time in a hospital complain if we are there for a week or two. Lawson had to spend six weeks, and most of that was in intensive care.

She underwent not just the lung surgery. During that procedure, the doctors found a hole in her heart which had to be repaired.

One month later, she had to undergo yet another surgery to help the incision from the first to heal. She was completely awake during the transplant. She watched the surgical team working on her for nine and a half hours. She saw the surgeons remove parts of her body, then put new parts in their place.

Lawson says that when she did close her eyes, she saw home movies of a black family and knew that her lungs came from a black person, even though the doctors wouldn't confirm or deny it. She felt sorrow for that family's loss of a loved one but was grateful for their unselfish act of life.

"The time during the surgery seemed like an eternity," Lawson said. "But all the suffering was worth it to live."

Lawson and her husband Larry can't say enough about the medical team and doctors who performed the surgery and took care of her afterwards. Larry Lawson said, "They kept me informed every hour or so as to how it was going, and what was happening ... Dr. Abbas Ardehali (the surgeon) was really great, can't say enough good things about him. The team was truly phenomenal."

The diagnosis that led to the surgery was that of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that causes the lungs to turn to crystal and harden until they no longer work. There is no common cause for this disease but if caught early, actions can be taken to avoid getting to the point that Lawson did. Hers was not diagnosed until it was too late.

Getting the transplant was no simple process. She had to lose 75 pounds, must have had a child and a blood transfusion just to qualify for the transplant. She also had to change her lifestyle to meet the post-transplant requirements.

The Lawsons had to give all their birds away and she cannot work in her garden until next year, and then only if she wears a mask. The surgery and anti-rejection medications virtually eliminate the immune system, which will take several years to recover.

Lawson is required to take anti-rejection and other drugs for the rest of her life. These drugs are not inexpensive -- just two require her to pay over $600 in co-payments per month. That kind of money isn't easy to come by, yet the Lawsons know they must cover the expense for her to stay alive.

Now at home, Lawson says she is "doing fantastic but tired a lot; but that's normal."

She spends her time doing needlework and taking care of her two dogs. She thanked everyone at the Saddle West (especially Debbie Scott), where she was employed, for their help during the long process of her illness and recovery.

She also thanked the people who contributed to the fund set up for her. "I truly appreciate every act of kindness from everyone," said Lawson.