Mother of three receives historic transplant

Adriana Rodriguez welcomed her third child last year — her first girl, Annalea. Her family was thrilled. Annalea’s older brothers, Adrian and Junior, were excited to spend time with their new sister.

But less than two weeks after giving birth Adriana experienced tightening in her chest while eating breakfast. She described thinking that the last bite “went down the wrong way.” Then she felt nauseated and light-headed — like she might pass out. Stress and pregnancy hormones weakened a coronary artery in Adriana’s heart, and it burst in that moment. The tear couldn’t be repaired, and it kept Adriana hospitalized for months.

The solution brought by doctors at UW Medicine in Seattle was a dual heart and liver transplant — a procedure that existed in concept only and had not been performed on a patient as sick as Adriana.

“I was scared. Freaked out. I didn’t want to hear what they had to say,” said Adriana. “They would talk to my mom, and she had to explain it to me later.”

This option was considered because Adriana’s body produced many antibodies that would attack a donated heart. But for reasons not completely understood, transplanting a liver from the same donor before the heart transplant could lower the risk of rejection.

It worked. Adriana was blessed to receive a liver and heart transplant from a generous organ donor. Her own healthy liver saved someone else in need.

And that sweet baby girl she hadn’t held in five months? “She was quite heavy!” remarked Adriana.

Today, life is almost back to normal. Adriana has strength and a whole lot of gratitude for the donor who saved her life. Adriana worked with our Donor Family Aftercare team to write to her donor’s family. She thinks about them often.

“I never realized the impact of organ donation before … how much it mattered,” she added.

An additional gift is that the historic dual transplant she received has been performed successfully for two other people as of early 2024. Adriana, her donor, and her care team have marked a new chapter in life-saving medical advancements. Organ donation is truly transformative.