Guidance and Support Before and After a Double Lung Transplant: Andrew’s Pulmonary Rehab Story
In early 2025, Andrew was diligently attending pulmonary rehabilitation sessions in Plymouth when his practice announced that it was closing its doors.
Andrew needed to find a new practice quickly: he was in the middle of his pre-transplant rehabilitation, also known as “pre-hab,” as he waited for a double lung transplant.
When sessions at other pulmonary rehab programs in the area left him unsatisfied, Andrew reached out to a former caregiver for guidance.
That caregiver offered to connect him with the Pulmonary Rehab Team at South Shore Hospital, and Andrew decided to take him up on that offer.
After his first visit, Andrew knew he was in the right place.
“They knew what they were doing,” he said. “They create a nice comfort zone for you and they motivate you.”
Now five months removed from his transplant, Andrew remains a patient of our program as he continues to build strength, muscle, and stamina.
An Autoimmune Disease Leads to a Double Lung Transplant
Andrew, a Plymouth resident, has scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that can affect many different parts of the body, from the skin to internal organs.
Over the years, his scleroderma led him to develop interstitial lung disease (ILD), which is a build-up of fibrosis and inflammation in the lungs.
The ILD progressed to a point where daily activities became a challenge.
“I’d always need to have oxygen with me,” he said. “Going up stairs, walking, working out…any time that I would do any physical activity.”
Due to the ILD, Andrew’s care team in Boston placed him on the list for both a double lung transplant and a kidney transplant, as his scleroderma had drastically reduced his kidney function.
As a condition of being on the lung transplant list, Andrew needed to enroll in pulmonary rehabilitation to maintain his conditioning and ensure he was in the best possible shape for the transplant.
That’s how Andrew ended up at our program at South Shore Hospital—and when he got the transplant call from his care team last fall, he was ready.
In November, Andrew underwent a 10-hour surgery in Boston, as his caregivers conducted the double lung transplant and kidney transplant at the same time.
Guidance and Support to “Get Back in Gear”
After several weeks of inpatient rehabilitation, Andrew was ready to return to pulmonary rehab and continue his recovery.
Andrew’s care team originally suggested that he go to an affiliated local rehab facility, but he insisted on returning to a familiar setting.
“I said, ‘no, I want to go to South Shore,’” he explained.
Andrew cited the relationships he built with our Pulmonary Rehab Team and their willingness to support his efforts to build strength and regain lost muscle as reasons he wanted to return.
“I knew they were going to make me work, do cardio,” he said. “I needed to start getting my muscles working again.”
Andrew attends pulmonary rehab twice a week, performing a number of different exercises at each appointment.
These exercises include walking on a treadmill, using a hand bike, riding a stationary bike, lifting weights, and stretching.
He does each exercise under the watchful eyes of our Pulmonary Rehab Team, who work with Andrew to boost overall conditioning and build strength in a safe, controlled environment.
“Working with Andrew before and after his transplant journey has been such a special experience,” said Angelina A., MS, EP, Exercise Physiologist with our Pulmonary Rehab Program. “Going full circle from completing his evaluation appointment pre-lung transplant to his soon-to-be graduation post-lung transplant is what makes this job so fulfilling.”
In the months since his transplant, Andrew has made remarkable strides.
His mobility and stamina continue to increase, as he feels he gets stronger every day.
“Between what I’m doing here and what I’m doing at home, the doctors are even amazed at how quickly I’ve recovered,” Andrew said.
Through it all, Andrew has been grateful for the guidance of his Pulmonary Rehab Team.
“They’ve been great,” he said. “They know me well enough that with their guidance, they let me push myself, which you need to do.”
His work with the Pulmonary Rehab Team also helped Andrew achieve another milestone: he published his second book, a novel called The Magical Espresso Machine.
Andrew noted that the book, a historical, fictional love story that begins in Italy during World War I and extends to present day Plymouth, and the progress he was making with the Pulmonary Rehab Team gave him the purpose to get out of bed each day and keep fighting.
A Special Dinner and a Return to the Golf Course Await
As he recovered after his transplant, Andrew was able to connect with the family of his organ donor, first via a written letter and eventually by phone.
Both Andrew and the donor family, who live on the North Shore of Massachusetts, trace their roots to Italy.
When the fickle New England weather improves, all plan to meet for a meal in Boston’s North End, a hub of Italian culture.
“We’re going to be connected forever,” he said.
Andrew has his sights set on two additional goals as he continues his rehabilitation.
“My goal is by May, I’m back hitting buckets of golf balls, and by June, I’m back golfing,” he said. “After that, I’d like to start traveling again.”
Thanks to Andrew’s dedication to rehab and the support of his Pulmonary Rehab Team, he should be able to check those goals off his list sooner rather than later.
“We meet patients at a time when their lung disease has affected so much of their life, yet the determination and courage to get better is always there,” said Angelina. “Seeing Andrew rebuild his strength and start doing things again that once felt impossible is something truly inspiring.”
