Sunnie Gist -Double lung transplant
Donation protected
Dear Friends,
This is hard for me to do... I am asking for your help. Here is my story :)
I am a 45-year-old wife, mother of 2 (ages 16 and 12), sister, daughter, football mom, dance mom, active community volunteer, and a friend. I have Lupus Nephritis of the Lungs and which has caused an Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD). I was diagnosed with Lupus after I gave birth to my son in 2002 and with ILD in 2013. I am on oxygen to survive day to day. I created this page to raise funds for a double lung transplant.
Lupus Nephritis is usually associated with the kidney but in my case, it has attacked my lungs. With Lupus, the body’s immune system targets its own body tissues eventually resulting in pulmonary failure, kidney failure and death. There is no cure.
Back in the day, I was a competitive volleyball player and maintained a lung function over 100 %, which is common with athletes. After getting Lupus and ILD, my lung function declined to 20%, leaving me unable to participate in physical activities and many times struggling just to breath. My Lupus flares have now increased and normal activities, such as climbing out of bed, have become nearly impossible. I started infusion treatments of Benlysta in 2013. Once my immune system became used to that treatment, they switched me to a higher dose of a light chemo treatment of Belimumab in 2015. This treatment requires me to get a central catheterization (an IV that runs to your heart) to pump the multiple antibiotics throughout my body. The meds make me very nauseous, so I take anti-nausea meds for chemo patients. Unfortunately, my bacteria is now resistant to many of the antibiotics which does not leave many options for care when my lung function drops.
I am unable to work and disability is my income, which is diminishing rapidly. At home, my care includes daily oxygen treatments, daily inhaled and oral antibiotics multiple times a day, and a ton of other pills.
Hospitalizations started in 2002. My kids are growing up missing events, birthdays and holidays because of my inpatient care. This last year, I missed Thanksgiving and was too sick to enjoy Christmas with family and friends. I try very hard to save my energy to be able to attend my son’s football games and my daughter’s dances and volleyball games.
My lung function has recently reached a new low requiring me to focus solely on my health. My doctor recommended that I go to University Hospital to get evaluated for a lung transplant. The reason I am going to University Hospital is because they are the best in Colorado and have the highest success rate with IDL related double lung transplants.
This transplant is not just for me, it is for my husband and our children, our future, our hope to see our children go to college and have family of their own. The transplant is for my nephew and nieces, who I want to see grow up. It is for my mom who I don't want to watch me suffer, my brothers who are some of my closest friends, my Wildcats football boys who I want to see win a championship, my friends who I am blessed to be surrounded by, and my sister-in-laws who don't want to see my children alone without their mom and their kids without their awesome auntie. So you see, I do not only want to live for my own future but also for others’ futures. I desire to live life with love and faith in my heart to continue to connect with those I love so dearly.
The hard thing about transplant is that you have a small window of time for treatment, you can't be too healthy or too sick to receive one. Being accepted into the program is a huge weight off my shoulders. My anxiety has decreased knowing that I have a backup plan in case I catch a cold and am unable to recover from it. I no longer have the stress of knowing I have no solution to the question, "What is going to happen the next time I catch a cold?" I can now confidently say I will get a double lung transplant.
It is sad to say this next part but in order to receive a transplant, they must know the patient has the funds to cover the process. The transplant itself is covered by insurance but there are many additional costs that are connected to the process that have no coverage. There is extensive radiology work, copays, medication, and oxygen. There will be the med flight to transport me when I get the call for lungs. University Hospital requires at least 2 caregivers are home with me for the first 3 months after the transplant. There is the cost of food, transportation, transplant medications, and unforeseen hospitalizations, the risk of rejection and infections during the first year, and so on. I humbly ask that you please consider donating to my hope for a healthy future with my family and friends.
With all my heart, thank you. ~Sunnie
This is hard for me to do... I am asking for your help. Here is my story :)
I am a 45-year-old wife, mother of 2 (ages 16 and 12), sister, daughter, football mom, dance mom, active community volunteer, and a friend. I have Lupus Nephritis of the Lungs and which has caused an Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD). I was diagnosed with Lupus after I gave birth to my son in 2002 and with ILD in 2013. I am on oxygen to survive day to day. I created this page to raise funds for a double lung transplant.
Lupus Nephritis is usually associated with the kidney but in my case, it has attacked my lungs. With Lupus, the body’s immune system targets its own body tissues eventually resulting in pulmonary failure, kidney failure and death. There is no cure.
Back in the day, I was a competitive volleyball player and maintained a lung function over 100 %, which is common with athletes. After getting Lupus and ILD, my lung function declined to 20%, leaving me unable to participate in physical activities and many times struggling just to breath. My Lupus flares have now increased and normal activities, such as climbing out of bed, have become nearly impossible. I started infusion treatments of Benlysta in 2013. Once my immune system became used to that treatment, they switched me to a higher dose of a light chemo treatment of Belimumab in 2015. This treatment requires me to get a central catheterization (an IV that runs to your heart) to pump the multiple antibiotics throughout my body. The meds make me very nauseous, so I take anti-nausea meds for chemo patients. Unfortunately, my bacteria is now resistant to many of the antibiotics which does not leave many options for care when my lung function drops.
I am unable to work and disability is my income, which is diminishing rapidly. At home, my care includes daily oxygen treatments, daily inhaled and oral antibiotics multiple times a day, and a ton of other pills.
Hospitalizations started in 2002. My kids are growing up missing events, birthdays and holidays because of my inpatient care. This last year, I missed Thanksgiving and was too sick to enjoy Christmas with family and friends. I try very hard to save my energy to be able to attend my son’s football games and my daughter’s dances and volleyball games.
My lung function has recently reached a new low requiring me to focus solely on my health. My doctor recommended that I go to University Hospital to get evaluated for a lung transplant. The reason I am going to University Hospital is because they are the best in Colorado and have the highest success rate with IDL related double lung transplants.
This transplant is not just for me, it is for my husband and our children, our future, our hope to see our children go to college and have family of their own. The transplant is for my nephew and nieces, who I want to see grow up. It is for my mom who I don't want to watch me suffer, my brothers who are some of my closest friends, my Wildcats football boys who I want to see win a championship, my friends who I am blessed to be surrounded by, and my sister-in-laws who don't want to see my children alone without their mom and their kids without their awesome auntie. So you see, I do not only want to live for my own future but also for others’ futures. I desire to live life with love and faith in my heart to continue to connect with those I love so dearly.
The hard thing about transplant is that you have a small window of time for treatment, you can't be too healthy or too sick to receive one. Being accepted into the program is a huge weight off my shoulders. My anxiety has decreased knowing that I have a backup plan in case I catch a cold and am unable to recover from it. I no longer have the stress of knowing I have no solution to the question, "What is going to happen the next time I catch a cold?" I can now confidently say I will get a double lung transplant.
It is sad to say this next part but in order to receive a transplant, they must know the patient has the funds to cover the process. The transplant itself is covered by insurance but there are many additional costs that are connected to the process that have no coverage. There is extensive radiology work, copays, medication, and oxygen. There will be the med flight to transport me when I get the call for lungs. University Hospital requires at least 2 caregivers are home with me for the first 3 months after the transplant. There is the cost of food, transportation, transplant medications, and unforeseen hospitalizations, the risk of rejection and infections during the first year, and so on. I humbly ask that you please consider donating to my hope for a healthy future with my family and friends.
With all my heart, thank you. ~Sunnie
Organizer and beneficiary
Barb McEahern
Organizer
Golden, CO
Sone Sengdara
Beneficiary