hello everyone!

[Guest guest]

I know it's been a while since I posted anything, but I sure do miss

everyone! I've been reading posts the last couple of days to try to

catch up with everyone. I hope I didn't miss anything significant.

I pray for everyone and I appreciate your thoughts and prayers as

well. To catch you up with me, I would like to let you all know I AM

FINALLY LISTED FOR LUNG TRANSPLANT! I have been working closely with

my coordinator the last few days to get everything finalized. I had

to come off of my blood thinners for seven days before I could be

listed and finish up some other minor things, like dental work. But

it is finally done. My LAS is 37, which is kind of low, but I am

Number 2 on the list in my Region. The person ahead of me is a lot

worse than I am, but has a completely different set of circumstances

that will make his/her match complicated. A tissue type expert was

able to eliminate some of my antibodies that were likely not to cause

problems with a donor. I believe I have 7 unacceptable antigens that

have to match in order to be an acceptable donor. I have arranged my

pre-transplant air ambulance flight transportation through Med Air.

They will fly an air ambulance jet into Lorain County Regional

Airport, where I will meet them, and then they will fly me to

Pittsburgh and provide transportation from the airport to the

hospital, if the call ever comes. It is a three hour drive to UPMC

from where I am in Ohio, and the transplant team has allowed me 4

hours to arrive at the hospital once I receive the call. So. they

have requested that I arrange the flight instead. I am scared, but I

know this is the only choice I have to extend my life. I have also

decided to move back in with my mother. She is glad that I will be

there and she can keep an eye on me. I hated to give up my place,

but this is for the best. My divorce is well under way, and you can

imagine what that is like. The hardest part is Kaleb has been with

his father most of the summer. He is supposed to be coming home at

the end of July. I miss him so much! But he is having a good time

with his dad. I have been " dating " someone who is well aware of all

of my " baggage " . His name is Steve and he is wonderful. He does not

have any children, but he is great with Kaleb. He is a program

manager with a local metal fabrication manufacturer in Norwalk,

Ohio. He also is a Pro Stock Drag Racer and races a '68 Barracuda.

I have been to several of the drag races this summer and have got to

have a hands on experience in something I never thought I would have

an interest. It's been a lot of fun. I drive his truck and trailer

(with the race car on it) to and from the race tracks. I have met

some amazing people.

We never know what God has in store for us, but I was always

confident that His plan, and my trials, have always been for a reason

not meant for me to understand.

I continue to struggle with the ups and downs of this disease, such

as oxygen needs and suppliers! But slowly and surely things have

worked out for me. I am in the process of switching over to liquid

oxygen and I am excited and nervous about that too. I have had teh

Home-fill oxygen concentrator for most of the summer, but it is not

working for me. And, the portable concentrator wasn't able to meet

my oxygen needs, so hopefully this system will do what I need it to

do!

(my daughter) and her new husband () have moved out of

our farm house because my soon-to-be ex-husband insisted they leave.

He had to " buy " her out of a life interest and they are now living

with 's grandmother for the time being. has been

accepted to the Board of Education's substitute teacher list for

middle and high school. She is anxiously awaiting the start of the

school year. Finally all her years of education, and her degree,

will be put to use! She continues to work full-time as a manager of

a gourmet coffee house at the Deep Creek Lake resort area. She is

doing very well there and she has been working there for 6 years.

The owner treats her very well.

Well, I know I have rambled on way too long tonite and I will close

for now. But, be assured, you will be seeing a lot more of me in the

coming weeks! I am so sorry for my long departure.

God Bless,

Tina

Ohio

IPF 04/07 PH 11/07

Listed for transplant 07/08