Double lung transplant
Donation protected
Hi, My name is Leeann Galloway. I have a severe lung condition, it started when I was 35 years old when I got phenomena and my lungs never came back.
To tell a little back history; My father had the Alpha One Antitrypsin Disease and had a double lung transplant and did well for a year then took sick again and passed away at the young age 54years old.
They think I have something along the lines of Alpha One but its not showing up in my blood, so for now they are classifying it as COPD, but the doctors are not convinced that’s what I have. They are trying tests after tests to see if there is something else I may have. I was doing ok up to a few years ago and started going downhill fast. As of 2 years ago I was put off work and on disability as I was progressing too fast and was finding it harder to breathe. I managed a lot with shortness of breath and life was passing me by too quickly. After I was put off work, things just kept getting worse and I started to find that just doing basic tasks like getting dressed was just simply too much. Still fighting, my heart rate became higher and my weight was dropping fast. I lost 40 pounds in a year weighing me in at 79lbs, and with my lung capacity at only 40% I was unfortunately too under weight to even be considered for a transplant.
This year took a turn for the worst. I took really sick in February and was hospitalized with a Disease called Pseudomonas. I am lucky to still be here telling my story as it was killing me until they found out what was wrong. After a month in ICU at Colchester Regional Hospital and being permanently oxygen dependant, I have gained my weight back up to 100.4 lbs, which makes me eligible for a double lung transplant according to my lung specialist, Dr. Chassion. I am scared but happy, and at only 47 years old to finally have a chance to be able to breathe, play with my 4 year old granddaughter and live a normal life again.
With this it is a lot of travel for me and my husband (around 9 trips to Toronto; 32 plane tickets back and forth) as I need a support person with me 24/7. We will be heading to Toronto for the first consultation with the nurse and rehab team for a week in November. After we come home we have to wait and see if Toronto accepts me as a transplant recipient (this will take about a month). If I get the call to go ahead, we will have to go back to Toronto for a month of rehab and sign paperwork which then i’ll be put on the wait list. They will then tell me if I have to move to Toronto to wait, or if I will be accepted to be able to travel from home once a donor found. (This is a new program that if you live within 45 minutes of the airport they will consider, but its up to the team of specialists in Toronto).
Once I get a match and the transplant is successful we will have to live in Toronto
for 3 months before heading home. Within the next 2 years after receiving the transplant there is about 6 visits to Toronto for checkups.
We are asking for any help that you can give. We are in the middle of planning a dance and silent auction as the main fundraiser. Also we will have a bank account set up for people that want to donate that way for my transplant.
Myself , Kevin and our families would like to thank you in advance from the bottom of our hearts for the help to make this long road as financially stress free as possible.
Thank You.
Leeann and Kevin Galloway and families
******* update October 10,2019 , a few changes thrown our way I n between all this fundraising !!! my husband Kevin took a heart attack and now just getting back to work and regular duties for fire hall brigade .after 3 months off ! ! We had our dance and fundraiser at bible gill fire hall last Saturday , all went over well , even though a lot cancelled last minute due to plans changes or sickness going around. I was told today only have 2 more test to go then stuff sent off to Toronto so I should hear by first next month if not this month on a date for first assessment up in Toronto for kevin and I . I will try to keep this or face book updated , so those that donated if we don’t know you add me Leeann Galloway to your friends and you can follow us there , thanks for all the support so far ,,,, still a long ways to go , even with the little the government gives you I told it a lot more that comes out your own pocket even some medications are not covered by some plans . So here hope we reach our goal . Thanks for all the shares and hope to get a little closer to the goal we we’re tolad I set by another transplant person that has already gone through the process , every penny helps , thank you all form bottom of our Hearts ♥️
To tell a little back history; My father had the Alpha One Antitrypsin Disease and had a double lung transplant and did well for a year then took sick again and passed away at the young age 54years old.
They think I have something along the lines of Alpha One but its not showing up in my blood, so for now they are classifying it as COPD, but the doctors are not convinced that’s what I have. They are trying tests after tests to see if there is something else I may have. I was doing ok up to a few years ago and started going downhill fast. As of 2 years ago I was put off work and on disability as I was progressing too fast and was finding it harder to breathe. I managed a lot with shortness of breath and life was passing me by too quickly. After I was put off work, things just kept getting worse and I started to find that just doing basic tasks like getting dressed was just simply too much. Still fighting, my heart rate became higher and my weight was dropping fast. I lost 40 pounds in a year weighing me in at 79lbs, and with my lung capacity at only 40% I was unfortunately too under weight to even be considered for a transplant.
This year took a turn for the worst. I took really sick in February and was hospitalized with a Disease called Pseudomonas. I am lucky to still be here telling my story as it was killing me until they found out what was wrong. After a month in ICU at Colchester Regional Hospital and being permanently oxygen dependant, I have gained my weight back up to 100.4 lbs, which makes me eligible for a double lung transplant according to my lung specialist, Dr. Chassion. I am scared but happy, and at only 47 years old to finally have a chance to be able to breathe, play with my 4 year old granddaughter and live a normal life again.
With this it is a lot of travel for me and my husband (around 9 trips to Toronto; 32 plane tickets back and forth) as I need a support person with me 24/7. We will be heading to Toronto for the first consultation with the nurse and rehab team for a week in November. After we come home we have to wait and see if Toronto accepts me as a transplant recipient (this will take about a month). If I get the call to go ahead, we will have to go back to Toronto for a month of rehab and sign paperwork which then i’ll be put on the wait list. They will then tell me if I have to move to Toronto to wait, or if I will be accepted to be able to travel from home once a donor found. (This is a new program that if you live within 45 minutes of the airport they will consider, but its up to the team of specialists in Toronto).
Once I get a match and the transplant is successful we will have to live in Toronto
for 3 months before heading home. Within the next 2 years after receiving the transplant there is about 6 visits to Toronto for checkups.
We are asking for any help that you can give. We are in the middle of planning a dance and silent auction as the main fundraiser. Also we will have a bank account set up for people that want to donate that way for my transplant.
Myself , Kevin and our families would like to thank you in advance from the bottom of our hearts for the help to make this long road as financially stress free as possible.
Thank You.
Leeann and Kevin Galloway and families
******* update October 10,2019 , a few changes thrown our way I n between all this fundraising !!! my husband Kevin took a heart attack and now just getting back to work and regular duties for fire hall brigade .after 3 months off ! ! We had our dance and fundraiser at bible gill fire hall last Saturday , all went over well , even though a lot cancelled last minute due to plans changes or sickness going around. I was told today only have 2 more test to go then stuff sent off to Toronto so I should hear by first next month if not this month on a date for first assessment up in Toronto for kevin and I . I will try to keep this or face book updated , so those that donated if we don’t know you add me Leeann Galloway to your friends and you can follow us there , thanks for all the support so far ,,,, still a long ways to go , even with the little the government gives you I told it a lot more that comes out your own pocket even some medications are not covered by some plans . So here hope we reach our goal . Thanks for all the shares and hope to get a little closer to the goal we we’re tolad I set by another transplant person that has already gone through the process , every penny helps , thank you all form bottom of our Hearts ♥️
Organizer
Leeann Galloway
Organizer
North River, NS
