Guy Wathen

Mariana McConnie, 15, of Silver Spring, Md., is still groggy while shaking off the anesthesia from an earlier procedure while waiting for her first plasmapheresis treatment to begin at Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville on March 5, 2014. McConnie , who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as an infant, received a double-lung transplant in January. About a month later a doctor told her that her biopsy showed signs of organ rejection.

Mariana is surrounded by hospital staff during her first plasmapheresis treatment at Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville on March 5, 2014.

As a technologist encourages her to keep going Mariana blows air into a device designed to measure her lung function at Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville on March 13, 2014.

Idalia Rodriguez, Mariana's mom, keeps watch over her daughter while waiting for her first plasmapheresis treatment to begin at Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville on March 5, 2014.

Nicole Steele, a music therapist, spends some time with Mariana in her room at Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville on March 10, 2014. Visitors wear protection in order to reduce the risk of infecting Mariana's weakened immune system.

Pulmonary Technologist Dane Stafford (left) gives good news to Idalia Rodriguez, Mariana's mom, following a pulmonary function at Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville on March 13, 2014. Prior to the transplant Mariana's lung function was just below 20%, on this day it was 73%.

Idalia helps Mariana stretch as the two share a moment in her room following a morning full of testing at Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville on March 13, 2014.

Mariana gazes out the window of the Ronald McDonald House that she and her family had been staying in just prior to leaving Pittsburgh on April 3, 2013. Doctors have finally given her clearance to go home to Silver Spring, Md.