Dylan Mortimer was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 3 months old. 当时，患有这种遗传病的人的预期寿命是14年.
As treatments for CF have advanced, however, and through the generosity of organ donors, Mortimer is now 44.
A longtime artist, 莫蒂默通过创作艺术品来应对影响肺部和消化系统的慢性疾病. Now, 他在“叹为观止”(breathe - taking)展览中展出了一系列闪闪发光的作品,” featuring the work of artists with cystic fibrosis, at the dnj Gallery in Santa Monica.
While the artistic process has been a therapeutic tool for Mortimer, 他还希望他的医疗用品和身体部位的画作能引起人们对这种疾病的关注.
Cystic fibrosis led to a transplant
囊性纤维化是由一种缺陷基因引起的，这种基因阻碍了细胞分泌光滑液体的能力. For those with the condition, their cells produce a thick, sticky mucus that blocks airways in the lungs, causing frequent infections. To prevent those infections, 患者每天都要接受一种治疗方案，以清除肺部的粘液和细菌.
根据疾病的严重程度，患者可能需要抗生素和住院治疗.
莫蒂默在成长过程中一直在医院接受抗生素治疗，尽管在高中和大学期间住院次数越来越多，但他对自己的健康状况很乐观.
“I viewed my condition like a glass half full,” Mortimer said. “我很感激我所拥有的生活，而不是因为我不能做或没有做的事情而生气和沮丧.”
在继续控制病情的同时，莫蒂默结了婚，生了两个孩子. But in his early 30s, his health started to decline. Basic tasks, such as carrying a car seat up the stairs, 是否变得更难完成，住院时间和对抗生素的需求增加了.
在不到一年的时间里，他的肺功能从50%下降到30%，并且在一个月内进行了四次栓塞手术——一种阻止血液流向身体特定部位的手术, Mortimer’s health care team advised him to get a lung transplant.
He received new lungs at age 37, but nearly two years later, doctors told him his body was rejecting the organs.
“I was crushed,” Mortimer said. “我觉得我爬了一座陡峭的山，然后又有一座要爬.”
Mortimer developed a high antibody level after his first transplant, 因为他的免疫系统对外来器官产生了排斥反应，所以第二次找到匹配的器官变得更加困难了. He lived in New York City then, 他的医生建议他去杜克大学医院接受治疗，那里有广泛的供体池和囊性纤维化中心.
但在医疗护理的过渡期间，莫蒂默接到了一个意想不到的救命电话.
A woman following Mortimer’s Instagram account, through which he was documenting his health journey, reached out to offer her cousin’s lungs. As her cousin, who was an organ donor, was dying, 她和莫蒂默的家人讨论了移植的需要，他们同意了捐赠.
了解移植过程中涉及的所有协议和供体-受体匹配要求, Mortimer assumed the woman’s offer would not go through.
这位女士联系了他的医疗团队，他们确定肺是匹配的. He underwent his second lung transplant at age 39.
After a move to Los Angeles, Mortimer is now being treated by Grant Turner, MD, a pulmonary and critical care physician who is part of the Cystic Fibrosis Center at UCLA Health. Dr. 特纳每三个月监测一次莫蒂默的新肺和囊性纤维化症状.
“Theoretically, 因为肺移植，莫蒂默的肺不再有囊性纤维化了,” Turner said. “但CF患者的鼻窦和胃肠道也有问题.”
Art imitates life
尽管莫蒂默一生中大部分时间都是艺术家——他甚至还获得了艺术研究生学位——但直到他被列入肺移植手术名单后，他才开始将自己的健康之旅融入到他的作品中.
“如果我不把我的囊肿性纤维化经历带到我的视觉艺术中，我就会觉得不诚实,” he said.
他开始画静脉注射袋、静脉注射杆和口罩，作为希望的象征.
“需要这些医疗用品既可怕又令人难以置信，因为它救了我的命,” he said. 莫蒂默还画了身体的一些元素，如疤痕、细胞和支气管树.
在他健康状况最糟糕的时候创作艺术对他有治疗作用，并使他的精神保持活力, Mortimer said. 虽然他现在比较稳定，但他仍然致力于通过他的手艺传播意识.
“Losing your first transplant in two years is devastating, but because he has his art and his faith, he's able to remain calm,” Dr. Turner said.
Depending on the project, 莫蒂默说，从头到尾完成一件艺术品大约需要两周到一个月的时间. He begins by drawing out the shapes, then pours glitter in the outlined spaces, and paints over the canvas. 他在长滩的艺术工作室里一次创作几件作品.
在“叹为观止”展览中，他的作品之一是一幅自画像，他站在郁郁葱葱的棕榈树前，站在静脉注射杆后面. 莫蒂默说，这是为了描绘生活在洛杉矶这样美丽的城市和日常依赖药物生活的残酷现实之间的对比.
“从被告知我活不过14岁到参加这样的展览是非常有意义的,” Mortimer said.
The “Breath-taking” exhibit runs through June 22, 但莫蒂默计划继续在其他展览中展示他的作品，并倡导医院安装艺术品.
“My aim is to add inspiration, 尊严和希望取代了许多医疗场所的库存艺术品或空白墙壁,” Mortimer said. “All science confirms that people heal faster, more effectively, and less expensively, once surrounded by uplifting and creative environments.”
