Carmen Blandin Tarleton, a 44-year-old nurse had a full face transplant Wednesday after her ex-husband burnt her face with lye in 2007.
Six years after Tarleton suffered the tragic incident, she will once again be able to look into the mirror without remorse. In 2007, she became a victim of domestic violence when her enraged ex-husband attacked her with a bottle of lye that burned her face completely.
At a news conference Wednesday, doctors at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston announced that a female donor's facial skin along with facial muscles, arteries and nerves were transplanted on to Tarleton.
Tarleton, who didn't attend the conference but watched a live web broadcast said that she was blessed and every time she looked at her reflection in the mirror henceforth, she would be reminded what being selfless is all about.
Tarleton's sister, Kesstan Blandin, spoke on behalf of the former nurse, releasing a statement that revealed Tarleton is doing well and is happy. In the statement, she thanked the donor and her family for this wonderful gift and said it made her feel strong and confident and gave her strength to fight whatever comes her way in life.
In June 2007, Tarleton's husband, Herbert Rodgers, beat her with a baseball bat before throwing lye on her. Tarleton suffered 80 percent burns and was blinded. According to the police, Rodgers thought that his wife was having an affair with another man and had come to the house to catch them. When the police arrived at the scene, Tarleton's face had already been distorted and she was trying to get to the shower to wash off the chemical.
Ever since, she has undergone more than 50 surgeries, reports The Washington Post.
This latest surgery lasted 15 hours with more than 30 professionals working on Tarleton. The head of the team, Bohdan Pomahac, said that Tarleton's burns were the worst he had seen in his entire career. He said Tarleton was happy when she saw the results of the transplant. The surgeon clarified that Tarleton's new face will not resemble her donor's face.
The donor requested to remain anonymous but the family released a statement through a regional donor bank saying that her spirit will live on in Tarleton and three other people whom she's donated her organs to.
