THIBODAUX, La. (AP) - Following a second double lung transplant, a Thibodaux Police officer is back on duty.

After undergoing his first double lung transplant in 2015, Paul Thibodeaux thought he was on a road to recovery.

“I thought it went great,” the 35-year-old law enforcement veteran said. “I was good for a while.”

Then Thibodeaux’s health took a turn for the worse at the end of January 2017 when he caught a virus.

“When they were doing one of the tests, both of my lungs collapsed and I stopped breathing,” Thibodeaux said. “So they had to do emergency chest tubes and put me in ICU for a couple of days.”

To make matters worse, Thibodeaux suffers from cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder where the body produces excess mucus, affecting the respiratory and digestive systems. Thibodeaux underwent a double lung transplant May 30, 2015, at Ochsner in New Orleans. He said he was about a month away from dying when he had the surgery.

“When I started getting sick the feeling was indescribable,” Thibodeaux said. “It’s like you’re in this room full of oxygen yet you’re still suffocating.”

Shortly before his second lung transplant, Thibodeaux started a process called photopheresis, a procedure in which blood is processed through a machine that removes and treats lymphocytes before returning them and the rest of the blood.

“That kind of stalled it and made my lung function not drop as much, maybe 1 or 2 percent instead of 20 percent,” Thibodeaux said. “I started getting tested in June to be put back on the transplant list. I was also back on oxygen.”

After spending five weeks on a waiting list, Thibodeaux received his second double lung transplant on Aug. 21. By that time his weight fell to 108 pounds and he was on oxygen 24 hours a day with 12-percent lung function.

During his seven-month road to recovery, Thibodeaux said the desire to return to duty fueled his drive.

“The whole time I couldn’t wait to get back to work,” he said. “It feels great being back. I love this job. I would never do anything else. I love the adrenalin and helping the community.”

Just weeks after his surgery, Thibodeaux began walking two miles a day. He walked a mile to the gym, worked out for an hour and walked a mile back. In 12 weeks he began lifting weights and now weighs 165 pounds.

After returning to duty on April 9, Thibodeaux said he feels like a new man.

“It feels great,” he said. “I can run and not be out of breath. Everyone’s been very supportive. When you’re recovering it’s nice to hear the chief say don’t worry about your job, it will be waiting for you when you get back. It’s a big stress relief.”

Thibodaux Police Chief Bryan Zeringue said Thibodeaux is an inspiration to the community.

“If you would look at Paul, you would never think that he went through two double lung transplants,” Zeringue said. “He has such an incredible appreciation for life, health and the law enforcement profession. He inspires those around him to do better, be better and live better. I’m happy to have him back, doing what he loves. This community is better for it.”

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Information from: The Courier, http://www.houmatoday.com

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