Lung Transplants

After our conversation about lung transplants with Dr. K., she recommended that we attend a seminar sponsored by the heads of the lung transplant teams from both of the local university hospitals. We learned a lot.

We learned that one had to be less than 30 BMI to even begin the qualifying process, which includes about six months of tests. All organs are examined.

We learned that the success rate was 50% after 5 years. At that time, one patient was still alive after 13 years. One. They do hundreds of transplants.

We learned that in our state, thanks to a male nurse at the university hospital, lungs are available for transplant if the patient is qualified. He has a system in place at many of the hospitals and nurses trained to contact the transplant teams. He has even helped to develop techniques to restore lungs that were considered unusable.

We learned that transplants do not extend life but give a better quality of life for a short period of time. It is probably the least successful of all the transplants though new research may change this.

Dr. K. wants me to qualify for the transplants. If I qualify now when I am basically healthy, other than the lungs, I can stay on the list until I am ready for the transplant, even if I am 70 years old.

My first problem is the BMI. I am about 20 pounds away and when I get close, I gain weight. Recently, I have realized that I am doing this on purpose because I just don’t know if I want the transplants. Maybe I should just go gently into the night.

I then think that if I don’t qualify for them now, it may be too late if I crash and need them quickly. Will I regret not qualifying for them?

I just don’t know.

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