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2005 (and prior) Transplants

A note to caregivers. We have no way of knowing when someone gets a transplant unless we are notified. If you want other members of the group to be able to share your good news, send an email to the uwlung website (with photo, if possible)

Dawn Thomas was transplanted in 1994. More info to follow.

Chuck Renwick supplied the following info.

I was first diagnosed in 1998 by my pulmonary physician Dr William Turner that I
had pulmonary vasculitis. Through the years it got worse and Dr Turner sent
me to another pulmonary Dr at OHSU Dr Barker. He diagnosed my condition as
IPF. In March of 2005 my condition had worsened and we went to the
Cleveland(Ohio) Clinic to get a second opinion. The Dr there said it was
IPF and that he felt I was a candidate for a lung transplant! This was
something I had never heard of! Upon return to Portland we told Dr Turner
of the findings and he sent us to OHSU to see Dr Edelman,who was the
transplant screening Dr for Oregon at that time. Dr Edelman sent us to U of
W to see Dr Raghu and on Sept 6 I was listed and moved up to Lynnwood, Wa.
I was transplanted on Nov 17, 2005 and released the day after Thanksgiving.
We moved back to Scappoose, Or on Feb 11, 2006. I am enjoying my new lease
on life and my wife and I are enjoying being able to do all that I could not
do for the past two years. I want to thank everyone who was involved in the
transplant and recovery, especially that Irishman, Dr Mulligan who gave this
"Scottish Lad" his new lungs. My thanks to my transplant nurses and Dr
Edelman and the Rehab group(led by Steve). My special thanks to Jerry
Killens( who was transplanted 2 years ago). Jerry was a constant support
and encouraged me throughout this ordeal. If not for him and ALL MY MANY
FRIENDS and FAMILY who stayed with me while I waited and afterwards until I
went home, Peggy and I could never have accomplished this feat. I also can
not forget Angela who was always there for us. I hope that I can help
others in the way that I was helped . Everyday Peggy and I wear our donor
bands and encourage people to become donors and give the gift of life!

Eddy Shaw, from Kirkland, Washington, was transplanted Aug 4 of 2004. He was a 53 year old IPF patient, at the time. He spent only one week on the TP list. He had some problems and is basicly functioning on one lung, but seems to be functioning very well. This photo was taken at the April 2006 support meeting which he attended on his motorcycle.

Matt Eklund was transplanted on Dec 12. (That makes him no. 330, if anyone is still counting). He was on the list for 5 months and spent 2 weeks in the hospital. He came to the January meeting and appears to be doing just fine. Matt is from the Tri-Cities area.

Julia Leary, a 33 year old Cystic Fibrosis patient raised in Forsyth, Montana received a double lung transplant on November 14. She had been on the list since December of 2004. Julie was first diagnosed at age 18 months and was the first person in her family to have CF. She lived in Billings, MT prior to moving here in Sept, 2004.

Gladys Baker was transplanted on November 15. She has Cystic Fibrosis and has been waiting nine months for a new set of lungs. She had already been in the hospital for a week, and very sick when told they were taking her to the OR for a transplant. She went home 8 days later and reports she is doing very well with no major problems. I'm sure she had a very good Thanksgiving.
	Gladys before transplant	Gladys after transplant

Luke Mauppins, a 25 year old CF patient from Spokane, was just transplanted (early November). He had been on the list since August. I don't think he has attended our meetings yet, but maybe he'll stop by in the future.

Doris "Cookie" Ballenger received a double lung transplant on 9/20/05.

William "Bill" Cahill had a double lung transplant on August 18, 2005 after 53 days on the list.

Jack Miller was transplanted on July 15. He had IPF and was on the list for only 7 days. Jack and Bonnie are from Albany, Oregon.and Jack's doing well.

Rick Rasmussen was transplanted on Saturday, April 30, and appears to be doing very well. That should make him no. 315.

Karen Beeson, from West Seattle, was transplanted on March 10, 2005. She was just listed on March 2, but was admitted to Highline Comunity Hospital on March 4 with pneumonia. She was transferred to the UWMC for the transplant on the 10th and released on the 22nd.

Ken Good, from Caldwell, Idaho, was transplanted the morning of 22 March, 2005 after 76 days on the list. He and his friend/caregiver, Brian Lawrence, also from Caldwell, came to the April 12 group meeting.

Ken Good

Brian Lawrence

Patsy Miller underwent transplantation last November.

Bill Probstfield was transplanted January 18th, 2005 at 3:00 PM. Bill spent 91 days on the waiting list and made one dry run. He spent 21 days in the hospital. Bill is retired.He and his wife /caregiver Janet, live in The Dalles, Oregon.

Message from Bill and Janet:

We are truly blessed to have new lungs after our 15 year struggle with COPD severe emphysema and on Long Term Oxygen Therapy for three years. Bill with his angel caregiver wife Janet learned to cope with COPD. Bill published a self-help book for other COPD patients; Smell The Rose Blow Out The Candle by William R. Probstfield, ISBN softcover:1-4134-1208-4 Published by Xlibris...take a look: https://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=18505
We have learned our most valuable lessons in coping with lung disease from other patients and empathetic caring professionals.With over six million people in the US now dealing with lung disease we need the support each other and disseminate information that offers prevention and treatment of this disease. U of W Medical Center in Seattle is one of the best location to get both the necessary experience (over 300 successful survival Lung Transplants to date) and expertise in a successful lung transplant program. Call us or drop us a e-mail note to visit anytime about it.
Bill & Janet

Bob Rawlings received his new lungs on Feb 4, 2005. Bob and his wife/caregiver, Carol, are from Boise, Idaho.

Philip and Alberta Sannes, first transplant of 2005 and his caregiver.

Philip Sannes is the first transplant of the year. He received two new lungs Jan. 14, spent 21 days in the hospital and was back for the Feb. 8, meeting. Philip and Alberta are from Cottage Grove, Oregon.

I started having breathing difficulties in the late 1980's and was diagnosed with Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency about 1990. In 1996 I went on 24 hr O2 and my FEV1 eventually dropped to 14% of normal. I tried to get into the lung reduction study but was turned down. In the Autumn of 2002, I started taking tests to qualify for a lung replacement and got on the list in August of 2003. At the time, waiting times seemed to average about 3 months and all seemed to be at least one month, so I was surprised when, 3 weeks later, I received a cell phone call while eating at a restaurant in Kent, Wa, with my sister and brother-in-law. I was told to get into the UWMC right away. We sent my brother-in-law home in a cab and then were on the way. A half hour later, I was dropped off in front while my sister parked the car. I signed in and was put in a wheel chair and pushed down the hall. That was the last I remembered until I woke up with my new lungs.

My lungs had originally been planned for a fellow from Spokane but turned out not to be suitable for some reason. I spent 16 days in the hospital because my drain tubes had to be reinserted for a few days. The place where the airway connected to the middle and lower lobes of my right lung became scarred over and a stent and several attempts at repositioning it failed to solve the problem. As a result, my FEV1 is still only about 50% although my FVC is near normal. The problem with the stent resulted in a near record number of bronchoscopies, mostly during the first year. I lost count but I know I have had at least 30 bronchs including both rigid and flex.

I had 3 hospital stays that first year for lung infections and then Dr Raghu decide I had chronic lung rejection and put me on a drug Voriconozole. This seems to have done the trick and I had no more hospital stays until this spring (2007) when I had a bout of Aspergiliosis. It sounds like I've had a lot of problems, but in reality, about 95% of the time I felt great. I stayed in the pulmonary rehab maintenance program until Feb 2006 when they shut the program down.

Dick Muri

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