Apu Patel

Apu was admitted in the University of Chicago Medical Center on April 8 awaiting a multi-organ transplant. They are not sure what happened, but the liver was damaged, fatty liver from something called NASH. The heart was diagnosed in March 2018 as cardiomyopathy, but later it was infiltrated restrictive cardiomyopathy. Then in late July 2018 they said I had a tumor on my liver. Seemed kind of crazy to have so much bad luck, but they dealt with the tumor and said I needed a liver transplant. The heart was too weak for that, so they tried to get it stronger, but those efforts failed. They also think it may be some sort of auto immune disease, but the biopsies were inconclusive. Anyhow, after spending months trying to get the heart stronger, the liver team in DC said they could not do a stand alone transplant. So I was sent to Chicago to explode multi-organ transplant. Chicago because they are one of the best and my DC cardiologist worked here and could get an appointment quickly and I have a strong network here. Once getting here they explored a triple transplant because my kidneys were weak. So, I got listed for a triple transplant and will be the 20th person to have this procedure, ever. Chicago has done 7 and I will be there 8th. Crazy times!