Jacquie's Journey to New Lungs

Well Friends and Family, it is time.  Time to start Mom’s Journey to New Lungs and we need everyone’s help to make this happen!

 My mom, Jacquie Starcher Price  has Alpha 1 Antitripsyn Deficiency. It's a rare genetic disease that has progressed rapidly this past year and she's on oxygen 24/7. She has stage 4 lung disease with COPD and Emphysema. She's only 44 and has a 7-year-old daughter at home.  My brother, Adam Price  and I are grown.  She also has three precious grand babies she loves with all her heart . She was a very active mom when my brother Adam and I were growing up.  We had so much fun!  I want my little sister to know that mom too, not just the sick mom.  It is genetic.  There is no cure.  The only thing she can do is a double lung transplant.  She has been working with Cleveland Clinic for 2 yearnow.

Mom went for testing Feb 7th and as she suspected her stats are dropping into the danger zone.  Her lung function went from 19% in July to 16% in Feb. Her DLCO is lower, her carbon levels in her blood are higher and her basal “on room air” oxygen level in her blood dropped from 83 to 60! That is a big drop. One really bad sickness could make this an emergency situation. They have been monitoring her waiting for her to decline to "the sweet spot".  Sick enough to need transplant but healthy enough to recover. She is hovering on the edge.  

This can be totally overwhelming. I'm going to be honest here, when all my kids are in bed some nights, you'll find me sitting on my couch crying, (like the night I started planning this Go Fund Me) worrying about my mom. And praying she can get her lung transplant this year.

 Everyone says trust in God, it will be okay. There is a part of me that is so scared because I watched my husband Jason lose his mom in our first year of marriage. It's like watching someone's heart get ripped out of their chest and the most painful part is not being able to do anything.

 I’m going to focus on what I can do now to help my mom. Hopefully we can get our benefits moving forward quickly. I pray God makes a way and moves on people's hearts to help. It's all I want and all I think about, because it's possible.  We can do this.  She can do this.

 Mom has a lot of work to do herself to get ready, infusions, pulmonary rehab 3x per week, and transplant psychiatrist 1-2x per week. The healthier you are at the time of transplant the better the recovery success rate. She will go to Cleveland every 2 to 3 months to check her baseline stats and do additional testing.  She is starting the invasive transplant tests such as the GI scopes etc. She has to have dental work, a mammogram, bone density tests and the list goes on. As I’m sure you can imagine none of this is cheap.  Her co pays alone for the three programs she’s currently in are $1200 per month.  Not including the additional co pays for specialists, regular appointments, medications.  Also, the transplant team requires a patient to have a minimum of $15,000 in savings and suggests it to be $20,000.  This money is set aside for after transplant to cover living expenses, and if there is ever a problem with insurance it will cover one month of rejection meds.  They won’t give someone a precious life saving organ unless you prove you will take care of it.

 So many people have asked "where's the Go Fund Me?" and we didn't have one.  Many people have messaged me asking how they can help.  So here's what we are working on now.  Any ideas or suggestions for additional fundraisers are welcomed.  All donations will go to expenses relating to the lung transplant pre and post surgery.  Taking this financial worry off her shoulders will allow her to focus on her current treatments and getting as strong as she can.


Here’s how you can help right now:
·         Donate to this campaign if possible. If you can’t, we understand.  Please share it to help raise awareness
·         There is an account set up at First Federal Bank in Uhrichsville (you can donate there or at any branch) if you are more comfortable with that option
·         Watch for and share information on upcoming benefits.  We will be having a couple benefit dinners, silent auctions, t-shirts for sale, and a paint party to start. There will be many opportunities to help.
·         Anyone volunteering to help with a benefit please message myself, Ashley Byrom or my Aunt, Dee Gray.
·         If anyone in you family has respiratory problems without explanation especially at a young age or if you have a family history of lung problems get tested! This disease isn’t so rare, just rarely diagnosed.

Last but not least donate blood and plasma.  That provides infusions for those with this disease.  Also consider being an organ donor.  The average organ donor impacts 10-12 lives.

I greatly appreciate the love shown by so many through your willingness to help! Your compassion and generosity amaze me. Prayers are appreciated also as Mom always tells me this is in God’s hands and in his time.