As a proofreader for a Center City advertising agency, Saundra is a detail-oriented woman. However, as a person who had been living with Hepatitis C for several years, she was growing acclimated to the slow decline that chronic liver disease was causing to her body. As a result, it was difficult for Saundra to see that, by December of 2002, she was in trouble.

“My condition was at first mild. Then throughout 2002, it began to get bad. I started to swell up all the time and they had to keep draining the fluid,” Saundra said. “The trouble is, I’m one of those people who, if it doesn’t give me a fever, and it doesn’t hurt, I don’t think I’m sick. I think in time, I’ll be all right.” She felt that as long as she could rest and have the fluid drained, she could keep ahead of the liver disease, but by the end of 2002, those measures were not enough.

All through this, Saundra kept working, rising earlier each day to make time to dress and get to work on time. Meanwhile those around her were worried. Saundra explained, “My boss called me into his office and told me how sick I looked. He threatened to call my son if I didn’t go to the doctor. The next morning my son came over and asked me where I thought I was going and I said, ‘To work.’ He said, ‘No. We’re going to the hospital. Now.’”

As it turns out, it was a lifesaving gesture. Saundra’s MELD Score had doubled and she was in need of a liver transplant immediately. Saundra’s son had gotten her to Jefferson in the nick of time. Her liver transplant was performed by Ignazio R. Marino, MD, and members of the liver transplant team.

“Dr. Marino was absolutely wonderful. After the surgery, he came to see me often. I never would have believed a surgeon would have taken that kind of time,” Saundra recalled. She noted, “He knew I wanted a donut, and he brought me one himself because he wanted me to put on more weight.” She also had great confidence in her Jefferson hepatologists, Steven Herrine, MD, and Victor Navarro, MD, as well as the kindness and consideration of the nurses and the rehab staff. Saundra also commented that, because her insurance coverage had changed just prior to her transplant, the Jefferson social worker played a key role in helping to clarify insurance issues and to make sure that the authorizations went through.

Today Saundra is thrilled to be back at work and has good things to say about her experiences at Jeff. “Jefferson is a great hospital. I have everything done there. I haven’t been to another hospital in more than 20 years.“