Shirley Beltz

Shirley Beltz enjoys being a grandmother. Hearing grandson Zachary's first cries on the day he was born was a thrill that Shirley will never forget. And then there are the simple joys of holding, cuddling and spoiling him.

"He's added so much love and joy to our lives," she explains.

But spending time with her grandson is something Shirley will never take for granted. She knows that these precious moments with her family might not have been possible without the liver transplant she underwent at Mayo Clinic.

Liver problems lead to transplant

Shirley first learned that she had liver problems nearly 20 years ago. Fatigue and some bleeding problems following routine surgery were her only symptoms. In 1987, a series of medical tests revealed that a virus now called hepatitis C had silently damaged Shirley's liver. Like many others infected with hepatitis C, Shirley couldn't believe the news. She was shocked to learn that she would eventually need a liver transplant to survive.

For the next few years, doctors near Shirley's hometown of Bagley, Minn., helped manage her liver problems. But early in 1990, they urged her to contact a liver transplant program. Wanting to remain near family in Minnesota, Shirley made an appointment at Mayo Clinic Rochester.

Complications set in; transplant becomes a reality

Mayo liver specialist Dr. J. Eileen Hay met with Shirley and agreed that a liver transplant would eventually be necessary. By 1998, Shirley's condition worsened. The most recent round of tests had shown a tumor in Shirley's liver, another complication associated with hepatitis C.

Up to that point, Shirley truly believed that she would be able to avoid having transplant surgery. "I kept denying that I'd need the transplant. I was tough and willing to fight," she recalls. But once the liver tumor was discovered, Shirley decided that it was time to act. An organ transplant would no longer be an option if the tumor spread outside of her liver.

To shrink the tumor and keep it from spreading, Shirley underwent a procedure called chemo-embolization. Doctors insert a catheter (narrow tube) up through a leg artery until it reaches the liver. The catheter allows doctors to deliver chemotherapy directly to the tumor. To cut off the tumor's blood supply, doctors can also insert foam or another substance into the artery that feeds the tumor.

After a second round of chemo-embolization in mid-October 1998, Shirley received a pager to notify her when a suitable liver became available. She and her daughter and caregiver, Stephanie, remained in Rochester living at the Gift of Life Transplant House. This was a very positive experience ... much love, friendship and support was afforded them there. On November 30, in the company of her sister Beth, who was with her at the time of her call, and husband, Steve, children, Stephanie and Mark, and his wife, Brenda, Shirley underwent her liver transplant.

Back on her feet

Determined to get back on her feet quickly, Shirley walked down the hall from the intensive care unit to her room on the transplant unit just 26 hours after surgery.

"As I passed the transplant support group meeting room, I waved to everybody," she recalls.

But recovery at home was not without a few setbacks. The hepatitis C virus reactivated, and Shirley fought fatigue and accumulating fluid problems. But a new medication eventually curbed the virus, and Shirley's energy has returned.

"After transplant, Mrs. Beltz developed a moderately severe recurrence of hepatitis C in her new liver. After the optimism of a successful transplant, this is a very distressing situation for patients," says Dr. Hay. "Mrs. Beltz's resilience and perseverance with one year of therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin has fortunately led to clearance of the virus from her bloodstream and greatly improved liver function."

Healthy and busy

Today, Shirley thanks God and her donor family for what she calls her "second chance at life." And she feels extremely fortunate for all the support she received from family, friends, fellow patients and transplant team members during tough times.

"I've been blessed. I'd never have made it through all of this without them," she explains.

High on Shirley's new list of priorities is educating people about the need for donor organs. "Often people don't understand the need for donor organs until they've been faced with needing one personally or for a family member. It is a remarkable gift that one can give another."

Looking ahead, Shirley is determined to make each minute count. She's hoping to reunite her women's singing group, helping to plan the music for Bagley's all-school reunion in 2004, traveling and tackling a home-remodeling project with her husband. And then, of course, there's always room for more time with Zachary. More than ever, Shirley is simply looking forward to hearing those magic words — "I love you, Grandma."