A couple from Middle Tennessee is embracing the holiday season with renewed optimism following significant medical procedures that have transformed their lives. Victoria and Wayne Thornton received what they describe as their greatest Christmas gift: a kidney transplant for Victoria, performed just hours after Wayne underwent double-bypass open-heart surgery.
The couple faced substantial health challenges leading up to this moment. Victoria had been on home dialysis, which significantly impacted their daily lives. “I did home dialysis, and it took up our complete lives,” Victoria Thornton explained. In early November, Wayne required heart surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville to address blocked arteries.
Wayne shared the gravity of his surgery, stating, “I had to have them crack the chest, and jumper around the blocked arteries.” As Wayne recovered in the intensive care unit, Victoria visited him regularly but found her life altered by the uncertainty surrounding her own health needs.
In a turn of events that seemed almost miraculous, the hospital contacted Victoria in the early hours of the morning with life-changing news. “It’s that middle-of-the-night phone call that you panic at,” she recalled. Instead of bad news about Wayne, she heard, “Miss Thornton, we have a kidney to offer you.” After nearly three years on the transplant waiting list, the timing felt surreal.
Dr. Jacfranz Guiteau, a kidney transplant surgeon at the hospital, expressed disbelief at the coincidence. He noted that the simultaneous surgeries for a husband and wife in the same hospital was a rare occurrence. “I was actually wondering, is she punking me, or is this really true?” he said, surprised by the timing of the two procedures.
Before Victoria’s surgery, the couple shared an emotional moment. “They let us hug before she went into surgery,” Wayne said, illustrating the deep bond that has sustained them through their health struggles. For several days, both Victoria and Wayne recovered just one floor apart in the hospital. Victoria reflected on their family’s efforts, saying, “My daughter would go upstairs, and she’d take care of him for a while, and then she’d come back downstairs and give me a report.”
The couple was discharged on the same day, ready to begin their journey towards recovery together. “It has been the best Christmas present anyone could have given me. We don’t need any Christmas presents,” Victoria stated, expressing their relief and gratitude.
Victoria’s successful kidney transplant underscores the critical importance of organ donation, which made this life-altering surgery possible. The couple now looks forward to reclaiming the life they had put on hold, with Victoria affirming, “Now we’re getting our life back.”
For more information about organ donation, Ascension Saint Thomas provides valuable resources. This story highlights not only the personal triumph of the Thorntons but also raises awareness about the life-saving impact of organ transplants.
