Double lung transplant patient back in CT after 120 days in coma

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- It's the inspiring story of a New Haven woman who had a double lung transplant, a journey that took her right by death's door.

First it was Lupus, then last year Lauren Warner was diagnosed with Interstitial Lung Disease.  

"It's inflammation and scar tissue on your lungs," Lauren said.

That led to a double lung transplant in a New York hospital.
 
"I was scared, I didn't know what was to come," she said.

What was to come was more than a 120 days in a coma.  Lauren remembers little.

"I was sleeping in the whole month of December and the whole month of January," she said.

Meanwhile her mother, Carlyn Warner, kept a patient vigil.

"The doctors were telling me that she wasn't going to make it and that we should take her off from life support," Carlyn said.
 
Lauren was put on three different life support systems.

"I was told to call the family and come say goodbye," her mother said.
   
However, the family's faith prevailed. Still, while Lauren had her eyes closed, it was tested again.

Carlyn had a heart attack.

"Everything turned out okay by the grace of God, I didn't even know what had happened," she said. 

Thankfully, Lauren woke up in February.

"I was thinking where are my gifts from Christmas," Lauren said.

Bits and pieces are what she can recall.

"My mother, I would hear her voice," Lauren said. "I would hear my brother singing to me."

Now back in Connecticut, her brother and aunt are among the steady stream of visitors, empowering her to grow stronger as she recovers step by step.
        
"I have to go home, to my son and my family, and I want to run a marathon one day," Lauren said.

And Lauren is less shy and reticent.   

"There's a reason. Somebody needed to hear this story," she said.

Team Lauren, composed of family and friends, has held a number of fundraisers to help offset Lauren's medical bills.

Last month though, someone broke into Carlyn's house and stole the money raised at a zumbathon.

That's not getting her down, Carlyn says she still has a lot to be happy about now that her daughter is on the road to recovery.

To learn more about Lauren's recovery, visit the "Every Breath Fund" Facebook page .