Megan Morrison – Liver Recipient

Megan was just 11 years old when she developed excessive bruising, fatigue, and nosebleeds.  She played competitive soccer and pushed herself through these symptoms.  As doctors tried to determine the cause through extensive blood work and testing, they were stumped.  In addition to her health problems, she was dealing with stress as a new 6^th grader, and a grossly altered body image.  She always felt poorly and was under great pressure.  The doctors told her mother she would not live to be 21.

Finally, during her freshman year of high school, Megan received a definite diagnosis of Autoimmune Hepatitis.  She was placed on the liver transplant waiting list, but was considered inactive because the copious amounts of medication they gave her kept her relatively stable.  When she was 23 years old, she became drastically sick with increasing ascites, lack of energy, encephalopathy, and a completely disrupted digestive system.  She was placed on the active transplant list at the end of Feb. 2009.  She was extremely sick and slept for days at a time.  She would go days without knowing who she, or anyone, was – in and out of fogs.

Finally, a liver became available, and after waiting for her mom and best friend to say “I love you” – she went into surgery.  The next thing Megan remembered was that it was a Saturday morning and her life was going to be totally different.

The one thing that stayed with Megan is that her family, friends, and doctors never gave up.  Megan is now a surgical technician.  She loves shopping and spending time with family, friends, and pets.  She is also an advocate for organ donation and works as a volunteer for the Donate Life KY Life is Cool Program and many other activities and events.

She encourages everyone to be a registered organ donor to help save lives.