July 25 • 2019 37
jn
thought she’
d do well. Sy says, “I don’
t
have an appropriate vocabulary. She
was alive! She was alive!”
The next weeks and months were
challenging. Loretta met her “lung
sister” — Sandy from Muskegon
received the left lung of the same
donor. Loretta suffered side effects
from a series of drugs. She was
encouraged to exercise.
At the end of April, Loretta did
what any self-respecting girl given a
new lease on life would do. She went
to a mall.
Soon after, Loretta’
s lung became
infected. Sy emailed friends: “My
honey has been given a chance to
live. We will keep the faith.” Day 8
post-transplant, Loretta’
s body began
rejecting the organ. She received high
doses of steroids. Fatigue and fluid
retention and emotional and blood
sugar swings followed. But, in June,
they took their grandsons to the zoo.
After three months in Cleveland,
they returned home to West
Bloomfield. Nine months post-sur-
gery, Sy reported to friends, “Believe it
or not, we still love each other and are
still speaking — most of the time.”
On June 4, 2010, Loretta emailed
friends: “I am home.”
Not for long. Shortness of breath,
chest pain, headaches, fevers, other
infections and a blood clot followed.
Still, they celebrated their 51st anni-
versary in Cleveland on June 24.
When the hospital heard about the
occasion, they organized a surprise
luncheon that was covered by the
ABC affiliate and shown on the 6
p.m. news.
A year post-transplant, Sy wrote,
“Looking back, I’
m uncertain as to
how we survived all the ‘
oops!’
we
were forced to deal with that first year.
It was more than tenacity. We couldn’
t
give up or give in. And it was about
‘
we.’
No one can do this alone.”
Sy continues to play Loretta’
s pro-
fessional nudge. Exercise! Take your
pills! What did you eat? He has done
so for the last nine years. Years in
which they celebrated grandchildren
Thea, Evan and Sam’
s b’
nai mitzvahs
and their high school graduations,
granddaughter Melanie’
s graduation
from U-M’
s Ross Business School,
grandson Steven’
s wedding and
Loretta’
s 80th surprise birthday party
this January in Florida.
“
And many more days we wouldn’
t
have shared without this gift of life,”
Sy says. “We lie low. We’
re together.
It’
s OK.”
Sy wrote an extensive and sensitive
journal about their medical jour-
ney that was turned into a bound
book by their son. In it, Sy expresses
appreciation through the Hebrew
Shehecheyanu blessing. “Blessed are
you, Lord our God, sovereign of the
universe who has kept us alive, sus-
tained us and enabled us to reach this
season.”
Editor’
s Note: In the three years
since this story by Franklin author
Suzy Farbman was posted on the
local website readthespirit.com, the
Ziegelmans have stayed the course,
meeting any challenges — including a
bout of pneumonia in 2015 that dam-
aged her transplanted lung — with the
same faith, love and perseverance that
are hallmarks of their relationship.
“I have a lot of faith and I believe
that helped a lot … and I believe mir-
acles happen,
” Loretta said last week
of the nine years since her lung trans-
plant. “My family has been cheering
me on every step of the way, and Sy
has been wonderful. He’
s a very spe-
cial person.
”
On June 24, Sy and Loretta
Ziegelman celebrated their 60th wed-
ding anniversary with their family:
children Sharon Ross of Waterford,
Daryl and Cindy Ziegelman of Walled
Lake and Julie Ziegelman of Austin;
grandchildren Carly and Steven Betel,
Melanie Betel, Evan Ziegelman, Sam
Ziegelman, Beatrix Jackman and Thea
Jackman. They are expecting their first
great-grandchild this month. ■
Licensed Specialists for
Children & Adults
Dr. Nelson Hersh
Dr. Marsha Beattie
Dr. Amy Isenberg
– Nelson Hersh, DDS, MS
–
Marsha Beattie, DDS, MS
–
Amy Isenberg, DDS, MS
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