A young woman has spoken about the strange side-effects she experienced after receiving a heart transplant from a middle-aged man.
Having been born with an Atrioventricular Septal Defect with Left Atrial Isomerism, Cecilia-Joy Adamou documents her health journey with updates to her followers online.
The 24-year-old, from Surrey, UK, opened up about all the operation and the bizarre side-effects she endured in a video uploaded to TikTok in 2022:
The TikToker has gone through an awful lot, from a brain cancer diagnosis, to a heart transplant and a kidney transplant.
Advert
One particular video grabbed the attention of many after she revealed three 'super weird' consequences of her surgeries.
Cecilia began the video by stating how you can see her heart beating through her chest.
She then moved on to the bald patch where her hair never grew back after undergoing brain surgery.
Advert
She closed the video by explaining that her feet sadly don't move because of nerve damage.
Cecilia's condition meant that the chambers on either side of her heart had holes in them.
After receiving life-saving surgery when she was six months old and aged two, she was able to live a relatively normal childhood for six years.
However, in April 2010, Cecilia had to have more surgery after her heart deteriorated, and she ended up suffering a cardiac arrest.
Advert
Her heart failed and she had to be kept on full life support, before having a heart transplant.
"My parents would come home every night not knowing if I would be alive the next morning. A couple of times they got the call saying they had to come in, it's near the end," Cecilia said.
In September 2010, she underwent a 12-hour surgery, but experienced another cardiac arrest.
Advert
While on life support for three months, she suffered kidney failure and so had to have a kidney transplant, which her mother donated, and surgery on her feet so she could walk again after she experienced nerve damage.
In 2014, she was diagnosed with two brain tumours, with two more later found in her spine. The tumours were discovered to be connected to her transplant immunosuppressant medication.
Many have since flocked to the comments section of the video to praise Cecilia for her courage.
One person wrote: "You are unbelievable! Honestly you're an inspiration to everyone."
Advert
Another added: "My goodness, what a brave warrior you are. I pray that you live a long happy life and amuse your grandchildren with these party tricks x."
Callum Jones