European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 28, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday april 28. 1989 the stars and stripes Page 9 i m going to make the most of if heart transplant survivor has Learned value of life b Janet d Agostino medical writer Mannheim. Wei Germany a Nashville Man died in a motorcycle Accident on Marc s 18, i%7. David no Briga got his heart. I m living on gratuities right now but i m going to make the most of  said Nobriga a former Arm 1 helicopter Pilot who now works As an Oil analysis specialist at Cole Man Barracks in Mannheim. Although no Riga has faced months of recovery and his share of medical setbacks he also has spent time he might not have had with his wife and two sons. He has continued working and. Remarkably done a liuk1 windsurf ing and bicycling like All transplant patients. Nobriga must Swallow a slew of medications each Day to prevent Hii immune system from rejecting his heart As foreign tis sue. In turn the medications make him vulnerable to infection so a delicate daily balance must be maintained be tween preventing rejection and causing a possibly fatal infection with the support of his , Nobriga dutifully takes his medication adheres to a Low sodium Low cholesterol and meatless diet and maintains a simple exercise routine with calisthenic and a stationary bicycle she is my one very close observer Nobriga said. She keeps me on rack and 1 Don t know what i would do with out her although Nobriga tried to learn the name of the person whose heart was sewn inside his Chest Organ transplant policy prohibits revealing the donor s identity. I Felt obligated to that donor no Briga sail if it want for. Him t would t be Here i Felt obligated to him in the fact Shal i better get Well if 1 did t do what i was Lold to do As far As exercise or diet i would be jetting hint Down. " equate in to someone giving his life on the Battlefield for another. I think they should have a special cognition for anybody who donates an Organ. You re allowing that person to have an other few years or Many years of life and they value life a lot More than be fore.". The philosophy is a new one for Nobriga who walked when doctors Ai lands Uhl army regional medical Center West Germany told him he. Would probably need a heart trans Plant. One of his valves was not functioning properly the doctors said and the heart was unable to efficiently pump blood causing his body to Well with fluid. "1 said no Way you re nol going to Lake my Hearl out " said Nobriga who gives his age As Over 50." i fell a  towards having some body rip me open and Pui my heart out and put another one in there. I just said  but As his body started deteriorating Nobriga realized there was no. Other Choice.  92 pounds and could not walk or talk when he was carried aboard the plane return ing him to the United states. He was transported to Ibe intensive care unit ill Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland and placed on High prior Ity fora heart transplant. The Nashville heart was donated four weeks later. No Riga returned to Germany about three months after the transplant and now is treated by a German doctor Al a Munich Hospital in the first year of his recovery Nobriga was Well enough to bicycle hut limitations from a lung operation he needed after the Irany plan and a persistent infection in his fool have slowed him Down during the past is months sometimes he asks himself How much More do i have to suffer hut Nobriga believes his roman Catholic Faith has helped him through the depression he suffered after the. Transplant and. In thanks,.he leaches catechism to  to i. . Franklin Village Chapel. I seem to be overcoming All of the roadblocks lie said and i m nol doing it  said although tie became depressed he never once thought about dying before or after the trans  was the furthest thing from my mind he  took it As another Jujj. Stride ii my Wiillie did t feel i was his doctors estimated the transplant would buy him 1 / to 1fh years of life. But As he Pippr Mchors the 21car Mark Nobriga said he s not ready to die  m going to live another 50 years he said. Army Driver s License to offer Organ donation b Janet d Acostino medical writer beginning july i holders of . Military Driver s licenses in West Germany can indicate pm their i. Census whether they want to be Organ donors. After Thal Date 3pplicaion j for Lic Ciwa Walt in clude  Imp if  w ans in Nale. His organs in Case of death accords a to Stephen Sirbaugh of. The military vehicle registry office in Heidelberg Vecsi Germany. The design of the Paitie ill Hsc will be v hanged include a Ploit on the Bailom rip til hand Corner Indk ii Long Wojie intr the Dyrr is it a Iii red i a it mar hcs Aid. -. Hie cart will . A Jerman civilian arid ets Lutc phone number for lands Luht army regional Mtdi-1 Cal Center which is in Chari of the Organ and is us donor program for the . European i omd. The information also will be prior cd in it Man so local polia1 will know whom to con act in the event of a fatality.  " plans Are in the works la give Drivers who is arc still valid but who wish to he a Polo uni Organ donor 90 Days in obtain a nov  of charge Sebaugh Laid. The Normal Raj sewn fee Isson. We know ii to Are people out slim Liq Waris to be Organ  Sirbaugh said adding  the1 registry has received Many Calls from people inter ested in such a program. Officials Hope  the program in include  in Osi if  countries. Having Drivers indicate i hair Willig Civ so be do nors is another facet  for  i Iii sol Ronald i  coordinator for the Euc of Dpi or program. One of the Biggem problems mgr Jiro Gnim has is that people Diin l know our a nil Imi  f and Homics More people will to come  the program ibis week which has been designated no Vional Organ donor awareness weel. Americans who do no drive can indimi.1 Abr arc willing Organ donor by. Obtaining in Orin donor card thai is available i Nosi Mil Iarj health Fatilia lies i car said. The card has two parts one Tor the willing donor and the other to be Given to a Ilsc find or family member who is aware of the pol ii Tia donor s wishes. Ultimately surviving family members hau1 the right to Block i he donations car said.  1 have inc right Toch Otue which organs Are donated. The majority of organs donated to the Neucom  riven to european hospitals by eau not Haiy hospitals in Europe ure unable to do trans Plistil. And most organs would be unusable by like. Linie they reached  states Pau said currently,1 Only kidneys Are sent to the United states for transplants. They usually Are. Sent to the Walter Reed army medical Center in Washington or to Wilford Hall medical Center at lick land ah11 in san Antonio i car said. -. Since the Neucom donor program began in a folks. 21 kidneys seven hearts is livers 14 Corneas and line pancreas have been . Thai jail org a iss. Were donated in aug Usu