Posted by Mollie's husband Steve:
3 Years ago today I got a call at work to go immediately the the ER, My wife Mollie was very sick. After several weeks in the hospital and several months of follow up visits and specialist we finally learned that she had Pulmonary Fibrosis. Unfortunately in her case the disease was serious and predicted to get worse, and it did. Over the past three years her use of oxygen to help her breath has increased. In June she was listed for a double lung transplant and we have been on 4-hour stand by ever since. Today 3-years to the day of when she was first hospitalized by this disease she was admitted at the Cleveland Clinic, no lung transplant yet, but her/our ability to manage her breathing and dependency on Oxygen has become to  much to handle at home. Tonight she is resting in the heart and lung transplant unit getting the oxygen therapy she needs while continuing to wait for the perfect set of donor lungs. So many of you have supported Mollie and I in so many ways over the past three years and I have just a few more request:

1. Pray for Mollie, that a match will be found, transplant will be done soon and her recovery will be swift and complication free.

2. Pray for my kids Jack and Riley who's new normal has been a sick Mom and they have been GREAT (so has Mollie), but now are stuck with Dad for a few months :)

3. Pray for the donors family, whoever they may be? for in order for Mollie to get a new lease on life someone elses family must suffer a great loss.

4. Be a donor, sorry to be blunt but most of my FB friends are firefighters, nurses and cops so you should get it; once your dead you don't need your heart, lungs, liver etc wouldn't it be great to save someone else's life if you could?

It has been amazing what I have learned and observed over the past three years, it puts a whole new perspective on life, priorities and faith. Mollie (and I) will be updating as our journey continues:.
 

Looks Like it's about to Get Real

Earlier this week Steve and I headed back up to Cleveland for my monthly checkup.  My numbers have fallen again and therefore my LAS (listing score) has gone up again. At this point I am in what is about the top 5% on the list for people waiting for a double lung transplant. I have been passed over multiple times at Cleveland because of my size. To put it in perspective lets say Cleveland did 5 transplants last week.  Based on my blood type and antigen match I qualified to receive 4 of those lungs.  However they were all too big.  Basically I need a petite size small.  A normal man sized set of lungs are 6.5-7L capacity.  I need a 4.2-4.8  which is pretty small. So in a nutshell that is what we are waiting for. The perfect lungs.

My doctor thinks the transplant will happen very soon, especially with my LAS score increasing. She really wants me to think about being admitted ASAP.  In the hospital I can do preop "rehab" (exercise) focus on my diet, nutrition and have a large amount of unlimited oxygen that I'm constantly having to refill here at home. My jobs here as wife, mom, social director and secretary at this point are leaving me exhausted to the point that I'm probably NOT resting enough, eating enough, or just taking good enough care of myself. Frankly at this point just packing lunches and folding the laundry leave me physically spent.

Obviously we weren't ready to stay in Cleveland, but the Dr strongly suggests we rethink this in 2 weeks. So the plan now is to sort of tie up loose ends here and head north in a few weeks if not sooner.

We are immensely blessed to have an amazing family, friend, community and church support system. My sister, Jolie and my Mom,  Judy will be the ringleaders of this circus here while I am gone.  Steve will be bouncing back and forth and I have a list made of school friends, family friends, neighbors and church folks who will be filling in the blanks. And if you see my kids or Steve give them an extra hug from me...they probably need it.

So, Please keep us in your prayers. We are continually praying for the perfect lungs at the perfect time - God's perfect plan. I'm not afraid. (I'm a little worried Jack won't pass 6th grade without me micromanaging him, and Riley will go to school with ratty hair, but that's another story... )
I am not afraid. I am ready. And so grateful that this is even an option.
We'll keep ya posted...