AMAZING TRANSFORMATION FOR NATHAN
A36-YEAR-OLD man left severely jaundiced by liver disease has told how a transplant has changed his life – and turned his skin from yellow to white in just 24 hours.
Nathan Rogowski, from Pwllheli, had been suffering serious fatigue and was seriously ill as a result of a 10-year battle with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC).
The condition is a long-term progressive disease of the liver and gallbladder characterised by inflammation and scarring of the bile ducts which normally allow bile to drain from the gallbladder.
It is associated with colitis, which Nathan was diagnosed with when he was 13 years old.
Before his transplant, Nathan’s health had deteriorated to such an extent he was severely jaundiced. But just 24 hours later his family watched in amazement as his skin and the whites in his eyes lost their sickly yellow colour and he started looking healthy again.
Nathan said: “My illness started when I was 13 coming back from a trip from abroad, when it was thought I had picked up a stomach bug.
“But after four weeks of constantly having to go to the toilet, tests were done and it was eventually discovered I had colitis.”
He added: “When I was 16 I had to have surgery to take my bowel out and had a stoma bag put in, and to be honest that surgery changed my life for a number of years for the better as I was well enough to work.”
However in 2007, Nathan’s health began to deteriorate again and he was diagnosed with PSC, the condition left him too fatigued to do much, and he was told by medics he would eventually need a transplant.
“I was placed on the transplant donor register but due to my rare blood group – B negative – I was warned it may take some time to find a match,” said Nathan.
Things came to a head in January 2017 when he became seriously ill and was rushed to hospital for surgery on a burst vein caused by a stoma due to his under-functioning liver.
Soon afterwards he was informed a suitable liver had been found for him and he underwent surgery. Since then he has experienced a few minor complications with the liver transplant but has had corrective surgery to combat these and since then has returned to good health.
“I just want to get on with my life now after all these years,” said Nathan.
He now hopes one day to be able to become a paramedic. He said: “I’ve started college and I’m determined one day to become a paramedic as I want to give something back after all the help I’ve received over the years.”