Deryl Amoss Fund to assist with transplant

The Deryl Amoss Fund has been set up at Magnolia State Bank in Milledgeville for Georgia College & State University’s Deryl Amoss.

Mrs. Deryl Amoss, administrative secretary in GC&SU’s Department of Kinesiology for seven years, is in need of a double lung transplant.

Mrs. Amoss was diagnosed with a liver disease known as cryptogenic cirrhosis years ago, but was still able to maintain her job at GC&SU as an administrative assistant to Dr. Jim Lindstone, the Chair of the Department of Kinesiology. Her condition worsened in Nov. 2003 when she began extensive testing to be placed on the liver transplant list at Emory University hospital.

According to Mrs. Amoss’ husband, Dan Amoss, Mrs. Amoss underwent a ten-hour operation to replace her diseased liver with a new one from an organ donor in July 2004.

“This new liver saved Deryl’s life,” said Amoss. “Her transplant surgeons told Deryl that her diseased liver was much worse than they ever thought and indicated that she probably would have had no more than two months to live if she had not received the transplant.”

After spending many weeks in the transplant ICU, recovery floors and the Macon Guest House, and additional weeks recovering at home from cytomegalovirus (which affects approximately half of all transplant patients), Mrs. Amoss went back into surgery that night to have two intravenous lines implanted into her left arm.

In Sept., Mrs. Amoss was admitted to Emory once again with severe pulmonary hypertension.

“[This is] a condition where the vessels in the lungs restrict the flow of blood and the right side of the heart becomes extremely stressed trying to overcome the pressure in the lungs,” Amoss said.

Mrs. Amoss has been in ICU at Emory University Hospital since then, and is now undergoing tests to determine if she can accept a double lung transplant.

According to Amoss, a double lung transplant is the only way of giving her the quality of life she desires.

“The liver transplant team, the lung transplant team, cardiologists, hematologists, pulmonologists, physical therapists and others are trying to determine how to save Deryl,” Amoss said. “Deryl’s desire is to receive two new lungs so that she can recover and return to GC&SU.”

Even with insurance, the costs the Amoss family must face are extremely large. An account has been established in Mrs. Amoss’ name at Magnolia State Bank.

“Any of the tellers, walk-in or drive-thru, will accept donations,” Karen Higgs, administrative secretary of the Department of Kinesiology, said.

People may also send donations to The Deryl Amoss Fund by mailing them to Higgs at Campus Box 65.

“[I] would like to thank everyone for their wonderful thoughts, prayers and assistance,” Amoss said. “God bless you all,” Amoss said.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 22 2004. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry