83 replies to this topic

[Tim Murray]

After suffering severe illness Niki Lauda today underwent a successful lung transplant operation. Here’s wishing him all the best for a swift recovery.

https://www.reuters....t-idUSKBN1KN2N9

(I was alerted to this news by this thread in Racing Comments.)

[E1pix]

Thanks for posting that here, Tim.

Get Well Niki, the world needs you.

[uffen]

Stay here, Niki, we need forthrightness in F1.

[Ristin]

I hope we will see one more amazing recovery. Get well, Niki

[group7]

Thanks for that Tim, I was wondering why he was absent the last two F1 races ?

 

All the best for a quick recovery Mr. Lauda ! !  

Edited by group7, 02 August 2018 - 22:15.

[kayemod]

I'm sure we all say "Get well soon Niki", he's a remarkable character in so many ways.

 

Niki has had a lot of surgery since his near fatal 1976 Nürburgring crash, and I think he's currently carrying kidneys from at least two separate donors, in addition to the ones he was born with. I was told that when they fail and a donor kidney is transplanted, they don't usually remove the ones already there, and now new lungs, any medically trained TNFs, feel free to correct me on that. His original pair of lungs have done well to last as long as this after what he must have ingested while being removed from his crashed Ferrari, and now he's joined McLaren's Mansour Ojjeh with a lung transplant. Mansour had his about 5 years ago, and he seems to be leading a fairly normal life now. I'm sure we all hope Niki's is equally successful, his brand of straight talk puts many of his PR infected fellow racers to shame.

[Lee Nicolle]

With all that surgery I presume he is not allowed to fly a plane anymore.

And yes he must have done some severe damage to his lungs in the accident. Like many I was surprised he was allowed to race so soon after.

So get well Niki, we need his expertise and controversy. 

[E1pix]

I was told that when they fail and a donor kidney is transplanted, they don't usually remove the ones already there.

Kidneys are generally removed in transplants (two friends have been through several each), unless risks go down from leaving it in.

But in the case of lungs there'd be little to no room for breathing (expansion) if the old lung was left in place.

Edited by E1pix, 03 August 2018 - 04:42.

[DouglasM]

Good luck and a speedy recovery.

[SKL]

Niki seems to have 9 lives...   wouldn't be surprised to see him at a race before the year is out.  I would think they would remove a failed transplant as it could cause hypertension (high blood pressure)  but then I"m a retired radiologist, not a surgeon!

[Slurp1955]

Don't be surprised if Niki ends up on the flight-deck again. Flybe has pilots with one arm! I was at Monza in '76 to see that incredible return after the crash, I reckon Herr Lauda has at least 5 of them 9 lives left  

[E1pix]

Similar here, my first GP was about a month after your race (US).

The entire race was spent in shock imagining what might be going on in his head. Braking point was plus/minus a foot at the most, lap after lap after lap. Robotic.

Edited by E1pix, 03 August 2018 - 04:33.

[wolf sun]

Damn, get well soon, Niki!

[Ristin]

Dr. Klepetko, who lead the operation, told austrian tv station ORF: "Es ist momentan alles in einem sehr guten Verlauf, und wir sind sehr zufrieden."
In english: everything is going very well at the moment and we are very satisfied.

[cpbell]

Best wishes to him!  I'm often amused at how the Millennials in the Racing Comments section are offended by Lauda's blunt opinions as they're used to people not feeing comfortable with explaining honestly what they're thinking for fear of offending someone.  I'm certainly no Alf Garnett, and, as a disabled person there are certain terms I'd rather not be used to describe me, but there does seem to be a reluctance to speak openly and honestly in case someone is mis-identified in terms of which gender they identify as or whatever.

 

Like others here, I'm amazed that his lungs have lasted as long as they have given the damage they incurred that day 42 years ago.  He is a great survivor, and, IMO, drove in a manner that isn't often seen nowadays; the only modern driver who seems to be close to his approach to driving a Grand Prix to me is Alonso.

[Arjan de Roos]

The surgeon claimed he will recover. However younger people would need at east 2-3 weeks, older people need longer.

 

Well, this would mean Niki will make a surprise come back at ....Monza!!! *)

 

Get well soon King Rat, racing computer, Yoda F1.!!

 

*) Has Toto called up Carlos?

[charles r]

I read somewhere that he actually flew himself from his home on Ibiza to Vienna for the operation. If so, entirely within character!

Get well soon Niki.

[kayemod]

With all that surgery I presume he is not allowed to fly a plane anymore.

 

Apparently not, he has flown commercial flights quite a few times in recent years, you can't keep a good man down!

[D-Type]

Best wishes to The Rat for a swift recovery.

[La Sarthe]

Hopefully not in bad taste but in line with another topic on this forum, given all these new body parts does that make him a restoration, a recreation or a continuation model?

[alpine]

I read somewhere that he actually flew himself from his home on Ibiza to Vienna for the operation. If so, entirely within character!

Get well soon Niki.

From what I read in German Newspapers (and online), he had been through a bad case of flu, but had actually recovered, when he flew from Ibiza to Vienna.

Once there, his condition worsened so doctors had to perform that lung transplant.

Get well soon!

[F1matt]

Too soon for another Monza comeback? Get well soon Niki.

[E1pix]

Hopefully not in bad taste but in line with another topic on this forum, given all these new body parts does that make him a restoration, a recreation or a continuation model?

None, he's Superman.

[E1pix]

I'm certainly no Alf Garnett, and, as a disabled person there are certain terms I'd rather not be used to describe me, but there does seem to be a reluctance to speak openly and honestly in case someone is mis-identified in terms of which gender they identify as or whatever.

This. The Missus is disabled from a stroke (malpracticed, thanks again, America!) but as you know one's gotta keep their humor. She's offended by nothing (except me, of course). I suspect Mssr. Lauda is identical on this.

The more ways humans invent to communicate, the less there is.

Edited by E1pix, 03 August 2018 - 17:31.

[alfredaustria]

Last update from Vienna: https://formulaspy.c...iki-lauda-55687

 

[cpbell]

This. The Missus is disabled from a stroke (malpracticed, thanks again, America!) but as you know one's gotta keep their humor. She's offended by nothing (except me, of course). I suspect Mssr. Lauda is identical on this.

The more ways humans invent to communicate, the less there is.

I'm surprised the character is known in the States!

[cpbell]

Last update from Vienna: https://formulaspy.c...iki-lauda-55687

Thanks.  Doesn't sound good, but he's resilient!

[E1pix]

I'm surprised the character is known in the States!

Yes, we live in caves here. 

[cpbell]

Yes, we live in caves here. 

Not suggesting for a moment that you're culturally backward there, of course - I didn't realise that Garnett translated well from London to the States.

[E1pix]

No, I do live in a cave.

 

Okay, it's a Westfalia, so a tiny bit quicker (pretty sure).

 

 

No worries, thought you meant Lauda! 

[Jack-the-Lad]

I read somewhere that he actually flew himself from his home on Ibiza to Vienna for the operation. If so, entirely within character!
Get well soon Niki.

I believe he performed the surgery himself.....

[JacnGille]

I believe he performed the surgery himself.....

I heard he was also the donor.  

[Jack-the-Lad]

I believe he performed the surgery himself.....

I heard he was also the donor.  

In any case, all best wishes to The Rat for a speedy and full recovery and hope to see him soon in the MBz garage!

[john aston]

As I have said before, possibly more than once too, I don't have heroes but if I did  , then Niki  Lauda would be at the top of my list .Extremely smart ,extraordinarily brave , tough as they come and entirely bullshit free. A  superb driver too , and I have never heard anyone execute swifter , neater downchanges, or seen someone think through a race weekend with such brutal logic  . 

 

It has become the social norm , reflex virtue signalling to witter on about thoughts being with somebody in the news who  the speaker has never heard before   but in Lauda's case - mine really are .

[dmj]

There were drivers I considered better than him, not many but there were.

 

But I can't think of anyone in racing history I appreciate more, looking at whole picture, inside and outside the cockpit.

 

I really hope he will get well soon.

[Cynic2]

I have kept up pretty closely with the field of lung transplantation since I underwent an experimental double-lung transplant in 1991.  (Doctors here believe I may be the long living survivor of the operation.) 

 

I have never heard of a native lung left in place with the transplanted one.  The biggest issue, as someone mentioned, is space as it would have no function.

 

Post-operation I was hospitalized for almost six weeks (and there were no major complications); today two weeks or even less is more the norm.

 

It is important for the recipient to be almost obsessive about taking medicine;  even after almost 27 years I still have to take various anti-rejection medications every 12 hours  and will for the rest of my life.

 

I've discussed this at length with several experienced transplant surgeons, and if there's a single "non-medical" factor in long-term survival it's personality (for lack of a better word).  It helps to be very determined -- almost pig-headed.  "Personality" cannot really be completely defined, and cannot be identified clinically.   It's another of those  pornography things:  "I can't define itr but I know it when I see it."  In this area Niki Lauda's personality and previous experience should be of substantial assistance in living a long and "normal" life.

 

The one thing which does surprise me is having donor lungs available almost immediately.  There are a number of way that donor lungs and the recipient must match; any lungs cannot be used for any patient.  I had to wait almost ten months between acceptance into the program and the operation.  The major problem, which has improved over the years, is simply the lack of donors.  (If you decide you wish to be a donor please be sure your next-of-kin understands that.  This is a continuing problem, and there have been threats of lawsuits from next-of-kin -- I don't know if any have actually been filed.

 

A high-profile transplant recipient, such as Lauda, will help increase awareness of the surgery and of the need for donor organs.  My donor was a woman in her 40s who died in the hospital, apparently of an aneurysm.  Her death was a tragedy for her family, of course, but her decision to be a donor saved five lives: her heart to one person, her kidneys to two more, her liver to someone, and I received her lungs. My condition required that I needed two lungs.  Otherwise they could have been used for two single-lung transplants, saving six lives.  This should answer any questions as to why signing up as an organ donor can really save lives.

 

Niki Lauda's track record (sorry ... ) should give him a strong likelihood of returning to a normal life in the near future. I wish him the very best for a speedy and successful recovery.

 

(And please, if you haven't already, do consider becoming an organ donor.  At a time when you really can no longer use your organs they can provide life for others.)

 

(Edited to add "six" to the number of weeks in the hospital)

Edited by Cynic2, 04 August 2018 - 19:58.

[E1pix]

Thank You for the wonderful post, for your candor, and for spreading the word about such a critical topic.

 

And it's great to see you here, you have been sorely missed.  

[Cynic2]

Thanks -- nice to know I've been missed by someone ....

 

I've been somewhat inactive as the last two or three years have been a bit difficult.  Essentially the transplant has worked so well I'm now dealing with the normal problems of being 77 years old, for instance, a "Sudden Cardiac Arrest" just over a year ago -- my heart stopped.  I was in an ER at the time and my heart was restarted in about two minutes; (technically I was dead for that time). It was just another reminder of how fragile this whole thing is. 

 

I hope your wife is doing well -- I know she's had a tough fight.

 

Right now I'm trying to understand an unknown sports-racer -- looks vaguely Merlinish -- which appeared at an SCCA Regional at Lake Charles, Louisiana in 1969.  It was fitted with a BRM Formula One V8 engine!  I wonder if this engine came from the Lewis Williams BRM V8 F1 raced in the South in 1967 -- I don't think those engines were just sitting around in every wrecking yard.

[cpbell]

Thank You for the wonderful post, for your candor, and for spreading the word about such a critical topic.

 

And it's great to see you here, you have been sorely missed.  

Indeed.

[E1pix]

Thanks -- nice to know I've been missed by someone ....

 

I've been somewhat inactive as the last two or three years have been a bit difficult.  Essentially the transplant has worked so well I'm now dealing with the normal problems of being 77 years old, for instance, a "Sudden Cardiac Arrest" just over a year ago -- my heart stopped.  I was in an ER at the time and my heart was restarted in about two minutes; (technically I was dead for that time). It was just another reminder of how fragile this whole thing is. 

 

I hope your wife is doing well -- I know she's had a tough fight.

 

Right now I'm trying to understand an unknown sports-racer -- looks vaguely Merlinish -- which appeared at an SCCA Regional at Lake Charles, Louisiana in 1969.  It was fitted with a BRM Formula One V8 engine!  I wonder if this engine came from the Lewis Williams BRM V8 F1 raced in the South in 1967 -- I don't think those engines were just sitting around in every wrecking yard.

I'll ask my friend Eddie Miller, he raced a Merlyn FF in that period and was likely at that race.

 

Glad you pulled through, Bud!     

[kayemod]

I have kept up pretty closely with the field of lung transplantation since I underwent an experimental double-lung transplant in 1991.  (Doctors here believe I may be the long living survivor of the operation.) 

 

I have never heard of a native lung left in place with the transplanted one.  The biggest issue, as someone mentioned, is space as it would have no function.

 

It is important for the recipient to be almost obsessive about taking medicine;  even after almost 27 years I still have to take various anti-rejection medications every 12 hours  and will for the rest of my life.

 

I've discussed this at length with several experienced transplant surgeons, and if there's a single "non-medical" factor in long-term survival it's personality (for lack of a better word).  It helps to be very determined -- almost pig-headed.  "Personality" cannot really be completely defined, and cannot be identified clinically.   It's another of those  pornography things:  "I can't define itr but I know it when I see it."  In this area Niki Lauda's personality and previous experience should be of substantial assistance in living a long and "normal" life.

 

Niki Lauda's track record (sorry ... ) should give him a strong likelihood of returning to a normal life in the near future. I wish him the very best for a speedy and successful recovery.

 

 

Welcome back Cynic, we have no shortage of cynical members on TNF, but we can always find room for another one.

 

On my earlier comment about Niki Lauda having an impressive kidney collection, I should make myself clear. Apparently it's not uncommon for surgeons to leave non-diseased redundant organs in place, they won't remove anything they don't need to. I have an entirely redundant muscle in one leg, severed at one end but still connected at the other. The man told me it was better left in place, "You'll hardly notice it's non-functioning, and it won't give any trouble, or would you rather have the operation to remove it?" Guess my answer, and so far so good.

 

Your record is impressive, being the longest surviving lung transplant patient, very well done, but as you say, maybe not the word I would have chosen, but "personality" is absolutely crucial as a factor in recovery. Some physical problems can't be overcome, but to a very large extent, I believe that individuals can will themselves to a good recovery from the most traumatic setbacks. I suffered a very near fatal car accident almost 40 years ago, I met a man from Greenland driving on the wrong side of a UK road, and that put me in hospital for 6 months, touch & go for the first month or so. Both legs and both arms badly broken, pelvis, ribs and skull, 44 major fractures in all, surviving that was a record at the time. It was a long and painful recovery, endless physiotherapy and physical exercise etc, but because I couldn't see any alternative to hard work, I managed it in the end. I'm not boasting or expecting praise, but it's your word about recovery, "personality", it's possible to almost will yourself back to near normal health. So as you said, I can't see Niki Lauda having too much difficulty, if he can't do it, then no-one can.

 

Off topic, but a mildly amusing footnote. With help from Vitesse, I managed to track down the surgeon who saved my life, he's living in retirement in a Cambridgeshire village, Bernard Meggitt FRCS, a charming and wonderful man. We're back in occasional contact, and he told me that  he's known by his neighbours as Dr Bernard, or simply "the Doctor". He's a keen gardener, and had a brief appearance on a BBC4 radio show, Gardeners' Question Time, posing a question about his turnips to the panel of experts. I found the recording and it was uncanny, discussing his root vegetables in exactly the same voice I can still remember from the white coated figure at the side of my bed, discussing callous formation and joint articulation, slightly scary in a way. So, after a lifetime of distinguished service as a surgeon, becoming one of the UK's foremost and best known orthopaedic experts, he's now most famous among his neighbours for discussing his turnips on a radio programme.

 

I should add that Bernard, my savior, agrees wholeheartedly with your "personality" theory, he's seen it work so often, sheer willpower can overcome what may seem to be mountains.

Edited by kayemod, 06 August 2018 - 12:07.

[E1pix]

Deleted by user.

Edited by E1pix, 11 August 2018 - 01:53.

[Jack-the-Lad]

^

[uffen]

Holy crap, Eric. Holy crap.

[Dipster]

A moving piece about determination, the power of a positive attitude but also about the power love of another gives us. Lose none of them, ever.

[cpbell]

Thanks and Congratulations, Rob.     

 

Now, about me Missus.

Wow!  What an eventful life, and I feel honoured as one of the members of TNF that you felt able to divulge you and your wife's recent struggles to.

 

EDIT:  uffen put it in the manner I ought to have.

Edited by cpbell, 06 August 2018 - 19:47.

[Eric Dunsdon]

Having suffered a Stroke myself in 2009 and having found life a tad difficult at times I found your Posts inspiring.

 

All my best wishes to your brave wife and yourself

[E1pix]

Thank You very much, everyone. While I hesitated diverting from Niki, Rob's last comment about mountains lit a fire.

With your gracious comments, I feel a bit more empowered in knowing my book may have a wider audience than I might have realized. Sometimes the individual battles fought during the process can diminish resolve, and my country has become a bit callous about healthcare, so I really appreciate this.

Sounds like CP's and Eric's recent events have been really hard, too, so I'll add you guys are also inspiring. Sounds like Eric got a bit luckier than Sandy was, and for that I'm happy for him. It's tough to feel "lucky" in such times, of course. I used to joke that she talked too much but would give anything to have that back.

My heartfelt regards to you all.

[Cynic2]

E1Pix,

 

I sent you an email to an old address I have for you.  If that doesn't work please PM me your address.

[E1pix]

Yes, received and will reply asap. Great to read you again!!! 

 

Sorry for falling out of touch!