FRANKFORT, Ky — Rachel Downey's medical journey has lasted about as long as she's been alive.
It dates back to her childhood living with Crohn's Disease.
"Started with Crohn's Disease and basically ended up losing all of my gut," Downey said.
"Having pancreatitis and being on TPN, which is IV nutrition, and that pretty much destroys your liver.”
She spent so much time in and out of hospitals, her world revolving around treatment.
Even though Downey sees herself as inherently positive, there were low points where she didn't
know if she could go on.
"I just got to the point where, and sometimes I hate to say it just if I didn't wake up in the morning. I felt like a burden," Downey said.
It's been tough for her family as well.
Rachel's daughter Laynie discussed seeing her mother endure so much medical struggle.
"Some of the time, I would think "Is she going to get up the next day? Will she even be awake?'" Laynie Downey said. "She'd have her days where she'd be asleep or just not doing well.”
All health issues ultimately led doctors to recommend a multi-visceral (or multi-organ) transplant.
Initially, the call was for seven organs to be replaced.
"The stomach, small bowel, large bowel, kidneys, pancreas and liver," Rachel Downey said.
Rachel's kidneys were spared, so it was down to five organs that needed transplants.
Far from a simple procedure, it was planned and canceled multiple times for various reasons, getting Rachel's hopes high and then dropping them down on three occasions.
Thankfully, the fourth time was the charm, finally going under the knife to replace all five organs during one surgery.
That was a little over two years ago.
Now, Rachel tells LEX 18 how much her quality of life has changed since the surgery.
"I've still had quite a few hospital stays and kidney issues. Infections have been the worst, but nothing compared to the past. I'm not in miserable, agonizing pain, which is a major plus," Rachel Downey said.
"I thank God every day that I have a mom. She has been so strong. She wakes up every day with a smile on her face. Fighting every day," Laynie Downey said.
Rachel's experience has led her to be a voice of advocacy for organ donation, speaking from personal experience about how much difference it can make.
"Just being thankful that I'm here because of someone out there that I still haven't met. That'll be our next story," Rachel Downey said.
Rachel has expressed great interest in meeting her donor's family to thank them for all they have done for her.
