A Stranger I Will Never Know Saved My Life

Day 27: A stranger gave me an extraordinary gift and a team of people saved my life

Photo Credit: Grant Parsons

​My day started with a phone call
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Grant had gone to work, and I was reading in bed, Monkey tucked in my armpit. Our house phone rang. It rarely rang as most people knew to call my mobile. Usually, I wouldn’t have worried, but I felt this phone call was important.
​By the time I’d unhooked my Bi-Pap, popped on my nasal oxygen prongs and slowly shuffled toward the phone, it stopped ringing. I shuffled back to bed and sat momentarily, staring at my mobile.

 As I weighed up the effort it would take to unhook my Bi-Pap versus waiting a few more moments to see if my phone would ring, it did.

Donated lungs were available.
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The truth about my health
When Grant and I got to the hospital, there was a sobering truth to face. In ‘normal’ circumstances, I would be prepared for surgery while under general anaesthetic, then ventilated. Once I was all prepped, the lead surgeon would check the donated lungs to confirm he was happy for the surgery to proceed.

Dr. Mike told me my lung function was at the point that once ventilated, if the donated lungs did not pass the surgeon’s inspection, I would need to ‘live’ in ICU and wait for the possibility of another offer. As a compromise, I would go through and have all the various lines installed and primed. Intubation would only happen if the surgery were to proceed.

The team prepped me and installed all my lines. They covered me with warm blankets before leaving to inspect the donated lungs and scrub in. They say your life flashes before your eyes when you are about to die. I had a full five minutes to think and reflect.

I’d had a great life — and achieved some remarkable things. I knew I was rolling the dice for a chance to have a future, knowing that I might not be strong enough to survive the surgery.
I knew that these lungs were my only hope — at that point, one thing was sure.
Without donated lungs, I was going to die.

I’d like to say once I woke up, I took that opportunity and ran with — but who am I kidding, I don’t run anywhere. But I have made the most of these extra years and will continue to do so as long as these fabulous lungs keep breathing for me.

31 Days of Cystic Fibrosis Bonus Fact
On May 27, 2011, it was 65 Roses Day, and my Aunty Mary planned to take me over to Gran’s for lunch. I sent her a text declining her invitation due to having a “better offer”.
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31 Days of Cystic Fibrosis Extra Bonus Fact
I wanted to have a Facebook status of “Hi Ho, Hi Ho — it’s off for lungs I go..” posted after my husband received the phone call to confirm the surgery was going ahead. He Who Was in Charge of the Communication Device vetoed it.

Next in the 31 Days of Cystic Fibrosis series - This Body of Mine Was Bruised and Battered, but It Survived, It Endured, and I Was Still Standing

Five days after my transplant I walked a lap of the ward as a physio carried my tubes and chest drain equipment. Eight days after my transplant, I had my final chest drain removed. Then I took my first shower standing up in six months.

31 Days of Cystic Fibrosis is an awareness-raising campaign to coincide with
the national Cystic Fibrosis (CF) awareness month in Australia.
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​If you’ve just joined the journey and want to start at the beginning, you’ll find the first post here: Your Daughter Has Cystic Fibrosis