Hands-On Experience
• Dr. Rich Edwards shares his testimony about life before and after his double hand transplant. A FOCAL POINT for the fitness facility will be enhanced training options for York College athletics in the Holthus Field House. (above)
• Rich and Cindy with Jewish Hospital president & CEO Marty Bonick and Warren Breidenbach, M.D.
• Rich shares a smile with hand surgeon Dr. Joseph Kutz as Cindy converses in the background.
.• Rich is pleased with his progress as he works with his therapist, Ashley Buren. Photos courtesy of Jewish Hospital; Kleinert, Kutz and Associates Hand Care Center; and University of Louisville.
The Edwards hope to be on campus next year for the dedication of the new facility, but for now all their energies are taken up with recovery. Two days after the transplant surgery, Rich said, “Ooh, awesome. I am a blessed man.” He later added, “I feel very blessed and fortunate to be one of the few people chosen to have new hands. I just can’t believe I got this far and am so happy about it.” Cindy was at his side when the bandages were removed and said, “This is so exciting. I can’t believe it is a reality. The first time I saw his new hands, I just kept staring at them. I am so grateful and thankful to God.” She added, “I truly want to thank the donor family for their tremendous gift and we are praying to God to comfort them for their loss and pain.” Doctors refer to Rich’s right hand as “the miracle hand” because of an unprecedented amount of new blood vessels that have began growing. “He’s lost all blood supply in that hand; he’s getting it from collateralization - vessels growing around the side,” said lead hand transplant surgeon Dr. Warren Breidenbach. “I’ve never heard of anything like that happening in this type of situation when you attach a hand. It’s unreported to my knowledge.” When this was first discussed with the Edwards, Cindy said the doctor came into the room asking, “Do you know how lucky you are?” Rich just smiled and replied, “Well, I know I am blessed.” Cindy had a similar take on the situation. “This is God in action,” she said in a later interview. “We know God is all over this.” Rich has a long road of recovery ahead of him, not without its ups and downs. While it is not known what lies ahead in the coming months and years, he and Cindy are confident that his future is in God’s hands. “As incredible as these doctors are and with as wonderful of care as we’ve been given,” Cindy said, “we will always reserve our greatest praise for the greatest physician who ever lived. His healing is complete, inside and out.” lll
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