Author
Uwe Deter, as appeared in Alpha1 Journal 1/2026.
My daily routine about ten years ago was such that, as soon as I woke up and took my first breaths, I already knew roughly what the day would bring. After slowly getting dressed and washing, I would first use my inhaler, take my medication, and eat as much breakfast as I could manage. Then the day could slowly begin with my tasks: doing laundry, tidying up, or cleaning, but always with breaks in front of the television. If I was mowing the lawn for a short time, I needed a break on the bench. That was quite tiring. At midday, I usually sat down with my NIV (non-invasive ventilation) to read or watch television and often fell asleep. Afterward, I felt quite rested and had the energy to tackle the afternoon.
After being placed on the transplant list (October 26, 2015), my cell phone became my constant companion. When I received the first call from Hannover Medical School (MHH) on December 1, 2015, around 1 a.m., I was quite nervous and felt like I ran to the bathroom ten times before the ambulance arrived to pick me up and take me back to Hannover. Unfortunately, the lung wasn't a match, and we drove home again around 11 a.m. This experience gave us a better understanding of the process, and I was able to relax a bit. There was a second false alarm before the third call on April 21, 2016, finally led to the transplant. At the time, my wife and I were in Bremen, where the Alpha1 information day was to take place shortly afterward. At 1 a.m., I went into the hotel lobby in my tracksuit with my cell phone and wallet—that was all I needed—and was taken back to Hannover by ambulance.
Without the donor organ, I might not be alive today. Therefore, my greatest respect goes to the donor and his family who made this possible.
I hardly remember anything from the approximately 1.5 weeks I spent in the intensive care and intermediate care units. But what I do know is that I wasn't in pain, there was plenty of ice to soothe my throat, and Schalke won. Initially, I had some breathing difficulties and therefore received NIV ventilation for a short time to relieve the strain on my new lung.
I had to learn how to make my own pills, about 20 different kinds. Then, usually in the morning, the "vampire" would come and take my blood – there were quite a few tubes, and if I was unlucky, I also had to have a bronchoscopy, which wasn't and still isn't for me.
As soon as I was allowed to get up and had passed my first walking test with a walker and physical therapist, I always went to meet my wife and walked outside a lot. During rehab, they explained a lot more and we did exercises to rebuild muscle. I recommend giving your lung (or any other transplanted organ) a name, because the organ now belongs to you like a new family member, and so I named my lung Erwin. The tablets should be taken regularly, ideally at the same time each day, to ensure the levels remain consistent. At the beginning, you have to go to the doctor every week for blood tests. This interval increases, as do the follow-up visits to the transplant center.
Without the donor organ, I might not be alive today. Therefore, my deepest respect goes to the donor and their family who made this possible. The decision in such a situation is certainly not easy, unless you've arranged everything beforehand and filled out an organ donor card. I hope many people carry a card that can help save someone else's life. A little bit of luck is also involved.
We celebrated my very personal anniversary on April 21, 2026 with 30 good friends and family over a lovely meal and great conversations.
