May 09, 2017
Kate's husband, Greg here this time. After seven + years knowing she was working faithfully towards today, in the 11a hour, May 9, 2017, Kate was "listed" for lung transplant at Duke University Hospital. Now the anxiousness begins in earnest. A bag with necessities will be prepped and ready to go with an hour or so notice to get to Duke when they call. It could be days, weeks or even a few months, but my Kate will stay ready to handle the surgical trauma and she'll recover to an extended, more vibrant life without supplemental oxygen. We pray and thank you all for your continued support. Stay healthy family and friends.
Happy Mother's Day!
It's been an eventful week and my emotions have been all over the board, but as I sit down to write this, I feel happy and full.
If you read my husband's update (above), you know that I am now listed! That happened last Tuesday, and it feels like a huge hurdle has been crossed. I had just returned from my rehab session in Greensboro, and opened my e-mail to find a message from my coordinator telling me it was official. She was still in the conference, but she knew I'd want to know right away. She was right. If she'd told me in person, I would have hugged the oxygen out of her!
It seems like it's been a long wait to get to this point, but it may very well be that we "ain't seen nothin' yet."
How long will I have to wait until an organ match is found for me? No one can say. The average wait time at Duke is about a month after listing. About half of the people that started rehab with me already have new lungs. But I have a high number of antibodies. When I try to explain that, it becomes ridiculously complicated. What it means is that about 70 percent of the population would be unsuitable donors for me. So I can expect a longer wait than average. The good news is that, now that I'm listed, I am ready when the call comes.
As always, I end by saying thank you, and asking for your continued prayers. Your prayers have brought me this far, and your financial assistance and other support is something we could not do without. Please continue to pray for patience and peace as we wait, and maybe include some prayers for my donor family, whoever they may be. Thank you. I love you all.
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