The 43-year-old Robervaloise recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of her heart transplant, while doctors gave her more than 10. An unexpected birthday for this woman who reminds us of the importance of organ donation.
September 22, 2002: This date, Julie Paradis remembers it as if it were yesterday.
Twenty years ago, when she was 23, Julie Paradis became one of the first people in Saguenay-Lac Saint-Jean to undergo a heart transplant. She was told, “She will be able to live at least 10 years with this heart.”
In recent days, it has celebrated the twentieth anniversary of its transplant. “Beautiful miracle, I’m really happy,” said Mrs. Paradis.
“At 19, they declared me injured, and I could no longer work or do any physical activity. They asked me for a ‘pacemaker’ because they told me if not tomorrow, you would die, otherwise you would,” she declared.
After 10 months of waiting, she finally got the call. Its operation is hassle free. “It went really well. On my file [c’était écrit] “Colossal,” it happened as in the books,” she said. “After installing it, he flicked it off and disappeared on its own,” she said with a smile.
She suffered from some complications, such as the donor virus after the operation and of course the follow-up. But today she leads an almost normal life. Tests conducted just last week revealed that his heart is still in perfect condition. “My heart is fine, he is not tired, everything is fine, everything is normal,” she explained.
She can even now practice sports that she could not do in her youth. “Going up the stairs, I could no longer get tired of my shoes, take a shower. I was still holding my breath. Today, I like Zumba, I like to move, I like to dance. I also skate, play hockey in the chalet, and go for a walk,” she said. in the forest”.
Heart problems run in his family. Unfortunately, she lost many loved ones. Thanks to her positive experience, other relatives did not hesitate to resort to transplantation as well. “My uncle and dad died of a mechanical heart, and they didn’t have a donor. My sister died in her sleep. On the other hand, my cousin had a heart transplant, and my aunt of 8 years. I think that inspired them to see me go,” she said.
If she’s doing well today, that’s partly due to organ donations.
“It can save lives, these are miracles, it can save 8 lives, and more! Improve some lives too,” Julie Paradis encouraged.
That’s why, 20 years later, she can still tell her story. “There are no words to truly express myself. It is truly an infinite acknowledgment of the giver and his family.”
She now aspires to ten more years. “Of course we aim for 30 years! But we live one day at a time, like every day,” she ended with stars in her eyes.
