DEWART LAKE - Aarron Busch, 46, Dewart Lake, underwent his second liver transplant Wednesday at Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis. Doctors foresee him going home for the holidays.

Busch was in critical condition at the Indiana University Medical Center intensive care unit after undergoing liver transplant surgery in July.

At that time, his sister, Becky Tusing, 41, also of Dewart Lake, was listed in fair condition at Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis after donating 60 percent of her liver to Aarron.

It was only the second adult-to-adult live donor liver transplant performed in Indiana.

Tusing was released in a matter of weeks after surgery, but her brother has endured a much longer stay.

Aarron's brother, Randy Busch, said today that Aarron's been out of the hospital for only approximately two weeks since the original surgery in July, and has been confined to a hospital bed going in and out of consciousness because of medications.

"He's been through a lot," Randy said. "I don't know how he's done it, or his wife."

After surgery in July, Aarron's liver was supposed to grow back to the appropriate size for him, taking approximately six to eight weeks. But this wasn't the case for Aarron.

Aarron contracted hepatitis C when he was in the military, which created cirrhosis of the liver. He learned of the problem almost three years ago, but had it for more than 25 years. A series of medical tests began when he had a melanoma removed from his back. From that point on, Aarron said, it was a "domino effect."

His blood wasn't clotting. Doctors told him he needed a liver transplant. But since the procedure rarely takes place and the waiting list is so long, Aarron waited for nearly three years before July's surgery.

He finally had the surgery, but complications came with it. The donation was not a full liver. Tusing's 60 percent liver didn't "hook up" right with Aarron's partial liver, relatives said.

Randy said Aarron's condition teeter-tottered between crisis and recovery during his stay at the hospital and he's lost anywhere from 60 to 80 pounds throughout the process.

"Between combatting infections and a real bad problem with his bile duct," Randy said, Aaron's condition wasn't good.

But Wednesday morning Aarron received information that would give him a better chance at life.

Randy said they learned of a full liver available to Aarron.

"It was about the perfect match," Randy said. "It hooked right up."

Aarron underwent the transplant surgery Wednesday, and since then, Randy said, has been recovering phenomenally.

"All of his numbers seem to be doing well," Randy said. "The doctors were really confident about the liver."

All sedatives were taken away from Aaron Thursday, Randy said, and Aaron is expected to wake up today. Painkillers are now the only medicine Aarron is expected to need.

Ideally, doctors are saying Aarron will be home for Christmas, Randy said.

"The biggest thing is the rehabilitation," Randy said. Aarron has to become comfortable with walking and doing normal daily tasks again.

Randy said Aarron's wife, Barbara, has been staying at the hospital four days a week, spending her time knitting and just being there for her husband.

"It's unimaginable what they've (Aarron and Barbara) both gone through," Randy said. "He's really demonstrated a will to live. I think everybody in the hospital's pulling for him."

Everyone in our family is pretty happy," he said. "We hope we'll get to see him (home) by Christmas. We're just happy that he got a chance."

The liver donated to Aarron Wednesday came from a young man who died in an automobile accident. The man's kidneys were donated to two other people.

"So, three lives were saved," Randy said.

Randy urged people to become donors. He said the severity of his brother's condition has shown him how important donors are to those in need. [[In-content Ad]]