| December 1st 2000 3 months later the Transplant Cordinator called me to schedule an appointment to meet with her and the transplant team at Henry Ford Hospital. I was pretty excited that they called me. December 13th 2000- The transplant Cordinator basically explained the procedure to me and the pros and cons about having a double lung transplant (DLT). She explained the evaluation process, the lung transplant statistics, the outcome, and the fact that the transplant will help me live longer, but it won't get rid of my CF. My first day of evaluation was small. They drew 10 large tubes of blood and I had a chest X-ray and did a sputum culture. My family and I were there for 3 hours. |
| January 4th 2001- Evaluation Day 1 My first day of evaluation for my DLT was about to begin. At this point my FEV1% was 42% and I was very happy from when it was 34% back in June 2000. I had a VQ scan which is a IV medication that they inject into your vein.. The liquid travels through your veins into your lungs, and the computer shows which lung is worse. They do this with a scanner that is over your lungs. You also breath in a radio active mist for 5 minutes. The radio active mist IS SAFE! So no need to worry. Then the computer shows the liquid and your lungs. The less liquid that travels through your veins in your lungs, means the worse your lung function in that lung is and how much that lung cannot get enough air. For myself my left lung is alot worse then my right. I have 31% blood flow in my left lung and 67% blood flow in my right lung. They do this procedure to see which lung needs to be taken out first during the transplant surgery. The bad lung always comes out first so the other "good" lung can function on it's own for a little bit. I also met with my surgeon. He spoke to me about the surgery. About the good/bad etc. Then I did my 6 minute walk which is part of the evaluation process also. The team wants to see how you do while you walk a short period of time. I did great. They were very surprised to see someone have such a perfect pace during a 6 minute walk. Then I went to see a psychologist. She just asked questions about how I felt about the transplant and wanted to know what meds I was on. This is part of the evaluation also. Everyone goes and sees a psychologist. The last procedure I had to do was called an Echocardiogram. This is just a simple ultrasound that they do of your heart to see if there's any clogged arteries and to see how your heart is working. This took about 30 minutes. |
| January 9th 2001- Evaluation Day 2 After my first day of evaluation I was so dead tired. The first day for everyone is very tiring. The 2nd day wasn't as bad. I had a CAT scan done of my lungs. I couldn't believe that it only took 10 minutes and that was it. I was amazed. For a CAT scan you just lay underneath it and when the machine tells you to hold your breath you do it, and when it tells you to breath you do it. I then had a EKG done, which is to show the beat of your heart. That took about 1 minute. I couldn't believe it. This was the fastest test that I had done during my evaluation. Last thing I did was a FULL PFT. The transplant cordinator said they had discussed my case and if everything keeps going good then it's a sure thing that I'll be listed at Henry Ford Hospital. I was very happy to hear that news. They also said that I was the |
| "healthiest" candidate that they'd ever had. They said most CFer's come in and are so sick that they can't even list them. I was happy and sad in a way. Happy for me and sad for the ones that don't get listed due to being too sick at the evaluation time. January 12th 2001- Evaluation Day 3 I only had 1 thing to do and that was a full bone density test of my spinal cord, wrist, and pelvix scanned. Later I found out that I do have Osteoporosis in my arms, but.. I'm on a special Vitamin D pill for it and on calcium pills. January 16th 2001- Evaluation Day 4 (Final Day) This would be it, my final day. I first met my social worker and she spoke more about the transplant and a patient advocate and my rights to have one basically to put down on paper what I want done if I was in a position that I couldn't make decisions for myself or if I didn't trust my family etc. I personally didn't fill one out because I trust my parents and we have a good relationship and they know what I want and don't want. But the choice is there. I met up with the physical therapist, which at this point I had already been working out some. She just told me to keep doing what I've been doing and it looks as though I don't need to be enrolled into a pre-transplant re-hab place. It's very important for one to be up to their best in their physical condition prior to the transplant. Then I met up with the Chaplain. Everyone or least the ones I know have had to see a chaplain ect. |
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| I remember it being real snowy out on our way home and it took a long time to get home. We got home around 8 PM. |
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