Every day is now a breath of fresh air for Daniel Fitzgibbon.

The Meadow Creek resident is recovering after receiving a double-lung transplant on Jan. 2 in Vancouver.

The Nelson Star after he had been placed on a list of British Columbians requiring two new lungs. Fitzgibbon had three blood clots in his lungs that led to nodules, leading to significant damage.

His wait for a new pair of lungs was also complicated by his B-positive blood type, which only 7.5 per cent of Canadians have according to Canada Blood Services.

Fitzgibbon, 56, underwent a nine-hour transplant surgery and says the transformation has been breathtaking.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e actually excelled,含羞草研究社� said Fitzgibbon on Friday as he prepared to leave Vancouver General Hospital. 含羞草研究社淭here are a lot of people who have to lean on oxygen or maybe still use inhalers. But I have not had to use any oxygen post-surgery.含羞草研究社�

Along with his wife, Rachel Dugdale, Fitzgibbon will now stay in Vancouver until April as he continues to recover before returning to their home.

Now that he has new lungs, Fitzgibbon含羞草研究社檚 prognosis is promising. Patients who undergo double-lung transplants have a 90.8 per cent survival rate through the first year post-surgery, and 71.3 per cent for the following decade, according to BC Transplant.

含羞草研究社淲e got through a real nervous time, as you can imagine, as a partner and any couple would. We含羞草研究社檙e through that part and it含羞草研究社檚 a real load off to get to this point now. Nothing but celebration.含羞草研究社�

| tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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