DENHAM SPRINGS — Less than two weeks after a woman received two different liver transplants, she is awake, smiling and praising God she is alive. Jessica “Jessi” Jeansonne, who has nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, is recovering well after her second liver transplant on June 29th, after her first transplant resulted in complications and needed to be replaced.
Late last week, Jeansonne’s family reported that she was awake and undergoing physical therapy and dialysis. She also passed her sip test, which meant she could begin drinking some fluids like water and broth.
On July 7th, Jeansonne’s father Duke Landry shared that she was crying happy tears when he walked into her room.
“I told her ‘You’re alive!’ She said, ‘I am! Praise God, praise God!'” he recounted.
So far, blood tests taken from around Jeansonne’s lungs are looking good, he added. Landry says “she’s so good” at this point in the process of her healing.
There will be a blood drive in Jeansonne’s honor for two days at two different Don’s Seafood locations. On Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19 at the Denham Springs and Gonzales locations, donors can visit from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. to give blood.
June 30 Update
A Livingston Parish woman is doing much better after undergoing a second liver transplant in less than a week. Jessica Jeansonne received her new liver on Sunday, June 29th after her first transplant, which happened last Wednesday, resulted in complications.
Jeansonne’s father Duke Landry provided an update, saying that after the first liver she received did not produce like it should, the doctors put her back on the top of the waiting list at the end of last week. In about 20 hours, she had a new liver ready.
Her surgery for the second transplant happened Sunday and by that evening, the doctors said she was ready to go to a room.
Today, hospital staff removed Jeansonne’s ventilator and started waking her up. Landry said that for the first time in five days, his daughter is awake. She’s still experiencing grogginess and needs to wear her oxygen mask right now, but she is doing well–”she’s 100% better.”
“Thank you so much for praying and continue to pray for her quick recovery,” he said, expressing the family’s gratitude for the public support shown for Jeansonne.
Landry added that Jeansonne will need to be on dialysis at least another week, but this is normal for this kind of surgery.
June 27 Update
Jessica Jeansonne is having some complications after getting a liver transplant earlier this week, and her father said that doctors are telling them they may need to start looking for another liver. Jeansonne, who was diagnosed with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, is in New Orleans, where she received her new liver on Wednesday.
However, she is beginning to have some complications, her father Duke Landry told UWK. The liver is not producing as it should, doctors told them, so they could need to look for another liver match for Jeansonne.
“The hope is the liver will start functioning properly or we get another liver. Both would be miracles,” said Landry.
The liver was originally deemed a “perfect match,” and came from a family friend whose daughter suffered from a brain aneurysm. The woman’s family reached out to them about giving Jeansonne her liver since they knew of her need for a transplant.
Landry said Jeansonne and his family are grateful for the blessing and see it as a “God thing,” he told UWK.
Signing up for organ donation is the best way to help those like Jeansonne, and Landry said this can be done by registering through LOPA (Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency).
If Jeansonne’s new liver does not begin functioning optimally, she will be back on the waiting list, but with her high MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) Score, she will be at the very top, her father said.
“The doctor said our best option right now is to start looking for another liver.”
For more information on how to sign up to become an organ donor in Louisiana, visit LOPA’s registration page.
A local woman is in the process of undergoing a liver transplant in New Orleans today after a family friend was able to share their liver with her. Jessica Jeansonne was diagnosed with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which can lead to liver cirrhosis, and has been officially on the list for a liver transplant for about two weeks, said her father Duke Landry.
Jeansonne’s MELD Score (which assesses the severity of the liver disease to prioritize patients for liver transplantation) was quite high. She had to undergo other tests at first, but after those tests, she was able to officially get on the transplant list.
“Because her numbers were so bad, she was actually at the top of the transplant list, which was a bad thing, but it was also a good thing.”
The news of a liver came after a family friend’s daughter had a sudden catastrophic brain aneurysm. The family wishes to be anonymous at this time, but is also interested in raising awareness of organ donation in the future. After the aneurysm, the woman was placed on life support so that her family and LOPA (Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency) could find patients in need of organs she was able to donate.
Landry said the woman’s family reached out to them about giving Jeansonne her liver since they knew of her need for a transplant. Thankfully, their wishes came true.
“It was a perfect match. We found that out on Monday,” he said.
Jeansonne’s health has been declining more rapidly, he added, with her needing more and more blood lately. Duke’s Seafood & Steakhouse had recently hosted a replenishment blood drive in his daughter’s name.
She was originally going once every two weeks and then once a week, and then twice a week for blood. Most recently, Landry said Jeansonne needed around six units of blood since she arrived in New Orleans earlier this week.
Jeansonne is in New Orleans for her transplant surgery, which takes between six and eight hours. After the surgery is completed on Wednesday, she will need to stay in the hospital about a week as long as things progress as they should, Landry explained.
After that, she will be able to go home and will continue taking antirejection medication that will suppress her body’s immune system to help stop it from rejecting the new organ.
Landry said he can see God’s hand through the process of Jeansonne getting her liver transplant.
“I was telling everybody, ‘You know, it’s definitely, you know, a God thing for everything just to happen, like it did with the timing.’ Everything from her getting on the list and and then you know this other catastrophe that’s now blessing no telling how many families with their daughter’s organs, and so they’re finding relief in that,” Landry said.
The family will share more updates when Jeansonne is out of surgery and they know more about how her body is accepting the new liver.
Original Story:
Multiple well-known Denham Springs restaurants are coming together to fundraise for a local woman who is need of a liver transplant due to a serious diagnosis. Jessica Jeansonne was diagnosed with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which can lead to liver cirrhosis, and she is currently on the list for a liver transplant.
Duke Landry, owner of Duke’s Seafood & Steakhouse and Jeansonne’s father, said that on Tuesday, May 20th, three area restaurants are holding a “Restaurant Day” for Jeansonne.
Big Mike’s (Denham Springs), Duke’s (Denham Springs), and Don’s Seafood will donate 10% of all their proceeds today toward helping Jeansonne. All local Don’s Seafood locations will be participating.
Jeansonne is a former employee of Don’s, Landry said, and is also a friend of many at Big Mike’s.
On Friday and Saturday of last week, Duke’s in Denham Springs held a replenishment blood drive for Jeansonne.
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is a progressive type of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease that can cause inflammation and damage to the liver. Over time, cirrhosis can occur, which is scarring, eventually leading to liver failure.
Many times, patients do not have any symptoms until their condition worsens.
In addition to the blood drive and restaurant proceed donations, people can scan the QR code on the flier below to donate to a Venmo account that will help Jeansonne in her health journey.
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