New Lungs for Miles

Hi, meet Miles and Steph Watson. Miles is in need of a new set

of lungs, and waiting for confirmation from Edmonton to

soon be on transplant list. Please read Miles' story in his own

words:

My story begins in February 2021 when I noticed a lump in my throat. I went to my family doctor.

I was booked into City Hospital to have the lump removed . After a three day wait the lump was removed and sent away to be checked. Unfortunately the lump came back as Cancer! So began the short trip to battle the cancer.

After 30 days of straight radiation on the throat was completed it was checked and it was successful and the cancer was gone. I started the road to recovery from the radiation which was supposed to be months to a year roughly. But I never seemed to start healing properly and starting having shortness of breath . The doctors thinking this was body dealing with the healing process.

In the mean time I returned to work even as I was not feeling so good and my family doctor sent me for heart tests because I was having chest tightness and breathing problems, mean time I was put on light duty at work . Shortly after work was getting harder for me and my boss put me on no duty and work, just sitting and short walking which still was ok because I was shop foreman. Then while walking at work February 10/2022 I fell over due to lack of breath and was taken to hospital and the tests began!

I was then diagnosed with severe fatal Pulmonary Fibrosis in both lungs . It was suspected to have been in my body since 2015. With this disease being severe in nature life expectancy is expected to be 3 to 5 years!!!

So panic did set in knowing time is limited. I was taken off work permanently because I was a safety concern.

Which meant I had to go on long term disability and take out my CPP early at a discount as disability. Being only 59 this cut my income down again .

This is when the health problems got worse and walking and moving and showering got a lot harder demanding more oxygen, going from 2-3 litres per minute on pulse mode to 2-3 litres per minute on continuous while awake then to 3 litres per minute 24/hrs day 6 litres per minute when moving 24/hrs. day. That being said I became limited to short walks only and no physical stress like lifting and carrying groceries. Then to most of the time sitting or laying down and short outings.

Then on July 13/24 the worst happened and my lung collapsed causing severe pain almost no air intake and facing death waiting for the ambulance and then being raced to hospital in Saskatoon where I stayed for a month with a total of three chest tubes in my lung cavity to stop collapsing, thus turned out life upside down mentally physically you name it, 4 weeks in hospital is a killer.

Then the lung was patched after several other attempts to repair it. I was released and sent home UNFORTUNATELY ONLY 3 DAYS !! And my lung collapsed again!! Rushed back to hospital where I have been for 6 weeks.

Only to be told my lung can’t be repaired and I will not be coming home!! I will spend my time at hospital on suction tubes (2 at this time). At this point in time I was told the only way for me to come home would be to get approved for a double lung transplant. This was explained to me on Sept 16/24.

On Sept 23/24 my case was presented to the Edmonton transplant team and approved for the assessment and pre work up and tests for a double lung transplant!!!

My tests, bloodwork and vaccines are 90 percent complete and will be shipped to Edmonton and in several weeks pending approval which we have told shouldn’t be a problem I will then be placed on the urgent transplant list and wait here at the RUH hospital hopefully for a match!!!

I cannot tell you how excited we are at this second chance at life!!!

But we will need so much help financially, emotionally and physically that any help we can get will be tremendously appreciated This is a very invasive operation!!! And both Stephanie and I will be in Edmonton for a minimum of 3 months!!

This has and while be so hard on us and our family and friends that we have no choice but to reach out and ask for any help available.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Miles and Steph Watson. I miss everyone and everything!

I am Steph's auntie and we as the family would truly appreciate any and all help that these 2 wonderful people could get! THANK YOU!