By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
June 10, 2004

ESTHERVILLE - A young woman from St. Patrick's Parish received a unique gift from her sister this spring.

Jessica and Jamie Eveleth went through a living donor transplant surgery. Jamie, 18, gave Jessica, 21, part of her small intestine. They are daughters of Bruce and Dawn Eveleth of Estherville. Bruce is the janitor/custodian for St. Patrick's Parish, and Dawn is the secretary for St. Patrick's.

In November of 1998, Jessica became ill and her doctor discovered that her small intestine had twisted upon itself and died. She lost most of her small intestine.

"It is a very hard thing to go through," said Jessica. "I think once you make it through something like this, it shows you that God is there for you."

She was placed on total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therapy for her nourishment. She was receiving her nutrition from IV fluids that went through a central line in her chest 12 hours per day which were usually run while she was sleeping. She had been on that therapy for over five years.

"I have always felt very close to the Lord," said Dawn. "My faith just kind of saw me through everything. From when Jessica first got sick, I always felt like I had his presence with me. It felt like it kind of drew our faith community together here at the parish because everyone was praying for Jessica and later on for both girls. It just blossomed out and seemed to touch everybody. It is faith in action."

Prior to Aug. of 2003, her central line had been changed twice for infections. From August 3, 2003 until the surgery, she had been hospitalized five times for a serious, whole-body infection called sepsis and had three more central line changes.

Jessica's doctor from Sioux Falls, Dr. Stephen Karl, contacted the family in November of 2003 to tell them about a group of doctors in Chicago who were having success with familial intestinal transplants. He explained that this procedure involved having members of Jessica's immediate family tested to see if anyone was a good candidate to donate part of their small intestine to Jessica.

Doctors in Chicago were contacted and through the blood tests, it was determined that the youngest daughter, Jamie, was the closest match. The transplant coordinator at University of Illinois at Chicago Hospital arranged for the girls to go for testing the last week of February of 2004. The girls had a variety of tests done over two days.

"I knew it would save her life," said Jamie. "She's my sister. I didn't feel like I had to do it, but I really wanted to."

After the first day's testing was done, Jessica became ill later in the evening and was rushed to the hospital. She was again diagnosed with sepsis and was put in intensive care.

"The doctors told us that it was crucial for Jessica to have the transplant," said Dawn. "They explained that her body could not tolerate too many more episodes of infection and that the next one could kill her. They scheduled the surgery for March 23."

Jessica made arrangements with her professors at the University of Iowa that allowed her to continue her studies via the Internet so she could finish her junior year. According to Dawn, Jessica was very surprised and touched by the generosity already shown to her.

"We certainly appreciate everything that the people here at St. Patrick's did," said Dawn. "There were a lot of cards and letters and things that went on. A family donated a laptop so that Jessica could continue her studies."

Jamie is home schooled and gathered all the books and assignments she needed with her to stay caught up with her schoolwork.

"My faith has been a rock, the thing that I have been able to lean on through all of this," said Dawn. "It has kept me strong and kept me going for the girls."

The surgical teams began early in the morning on March 23 and the surgery lasted until about 1 p.m. The head doctor for Jessica was Dr. Enrico Benedetti. Jamie's head doctor was Dr. Abcarian. Between six and seven feet of Jamie's small intestine was removed and put into Jessica.

"It is an awesome thing that she did," said Jessica. "It was kind of nerve-wrecking at first because you are putting someone else's life in danger, but it was a great thing. I am really happy she was able to do it."

The surgery went well. Jamie was in the hospital about a week and Jessica stayed about two weeks.

Through the transplant department at the hospital, Dawn, Jessica and Jamie stayed in an apartment in student housing at the University of Illinois for the next eight or nine weeks. Jessica was in and out of the hospital a little bit during that time but for no longer than three or four days at a time.

"It's been a long road for everybody, but it's been miraculous, too," said Dawn. "Jessica should have been ill as a small child. She never was, she was the healthiest one of the kids. This didn't show up until she was 15. They had only been doing TPN since 1990. If she had been sick as a small child, she wouldn't have survived."

The family is now at home in Estherville. Jessica is starting to work a little bit. Jamie is working on schoolwork. Jessica still has an ileostomy and a central line to receive fluid but no longer must have the TPN therapy. Jamie should not be doing heavy lifting for the next couple of months, but otherwise is doing well, according to Dawn.

"I'm back to work and stuff," said Jessica. "I'm more lively. I was really tired at first. It is like a huge burden off of my shoulders, medically. The only thing I have to do now is take pills."

Jessica was accepted into pharmacy school at the University of Iowa and will start in the fall. She will have a couple of minor surgeries over the summer, but will hopefully be able to go to school, explained Dawn.

"It has been little things that have happened that have kept Jessica going," said Dawn. "I know that the prayers from people here have been an important part of this whole ordeal. We are really grateful for all of that."