Transplant patient learns to not let anything stand in the way of her dream

Transplant patient learns to not let anything stand in the way of her dream

Transcript¹

Gianna Paniagua, who's had life-long heart problems, talks to her mother, Lourdes Matamoros, about her dream of becoming a doctor. Paniaqua is currently finishing her pre-med program at Columbia.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And it's Friday, which is when we hear from StoryCorps. When Gianna Paniagua was a baby, she was diagnosed with a significant heart defect. She received her first heart transplant when she was 1-year-old. She's now 30 and has spent most of her life in and out of hospitals. Recently, Gianna came to StoryCorps with her mother, Lourdes, to talk about how these experiences shaped her life.

GIANNA PANIAGUA: Since I was 3, I remember wanting to be a doctor. I would always like to watch what was happening, like, watch how a needle goes in.

LOURDES MATAMOROS: Yeah, you had your regular cardiograms and sonograms, and you would take in your Beanie Babies and have them X-rayed because you wanted to see what was inside.

PANIAGUA: But when the doctors told me I couldn't go to medical school, that I didn't have the stamina² to do it, I was beyond devastated³.

MATAMOROS: You know, I wish that I would have known how devastating⁴ it was for you. I would have said, don't give up. But I think my being your mother and being overprotective versus⁵ being supportive, it's been a learning process.

PANIAGUA: The overprotective side, we definitely butt⁶ heads about it, but I get it. So then fast-forward, like, 10 years. When I learned that I had to get the second heart transplant, I originally had not wanted to get it because I didn't feel like I wanted to go through all of that. It was going to, you know, extend my life. But it just seemed like this mountain that I didn't really want to buy the equipment to climb. But I changed my mind. And with the remaining time, thanks to this recent heart, I'd like to go to medical school.

MATAMOROS: I know that I wasn't as supportive then, but this is your dream. So you have to go. You're very brave, and I think that's what I'm proudest of.

PANIAGUA: Having a transplant does not make you necessarily brave. It's just like I have no other choice. But the biggest thing that I learned is that if you really want to do something, there's always a way to do it. And don't let somebody tell you you can't.

MATAMOROS: Yeah. You just have to honor whatever it is that's in your heart.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

INSKEEP: Lourdes Matamoros and her daughter, Gianna Paniagua. Gianna's finishing her pre-med program at Columbia University. And their StoryCorps conversation will be archived at the Library of Congress.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 stamina   

n.体力；精力；耐力

参考例句：

• I lacked the stamina to run the whole length of the race.我没有跑完全程的耐力。
• Giving up smoking had a magical effect on his stamina.戒烟神奇地增强了他的体力。

3 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

4 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

5 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

6 butt   

n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶

参考例句：

• The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。
• He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。