Double Lung Transplant for Kyle, Cystic Fibrosis

My cousin, Kyle has lived with the life limiting disease, Cystic Fibrosis his entire 34 years. Cystic Fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe. Kyle’s lung functions as of yesterday are only at 11%. Kyle is more like my little brother than my cousin, he’s my “brozin”. Kyle’s childhood consisted of being in and out of the Children’s hospital. When he reached 21 he wasn’t able to stay in the childrens hospital any longer, he had to stay in the regular hospital. As a teenager and into my adult years, I would stay at least a night with him in Doernbecher every time he had to be there. We would roam the halls of Doernbecher when he had the energy and watch movies in our pjs until we fell asleep. Don’t even get me started about the time I came to stay with him and as I was walking down the hall to his hospital room, all I heard was Grand Theft Auto blaring AND I MEAN BLARING (hey, it was brand new at the time!)

In the beginning of 2012 Kyle was placed on the lung transplant list at the University of Washington Medical Center as his pulmonary functions were rapidly declining. I’m not able to put into words how scary it was getting. I had to pause in writing this because even going back to that time, it just makes me cry to remember what he was going through back then and is going through AGAIN now. I couldn’t and CANNOT imagine life without him, no one can. After millions of prayers and seven months later Kyle FINALLY got the call to get to Seattle immediately! I bawled happy tears! Kyle was getting his chance at life but at the same time, someone very young lost their life within a couple of hours of Kyle getting that call. Every day I thank God for that family blessing Kyle (and our family) with the most precious gift of all, LIFE! To this day, I still pray for peace for those parents. I thank God for giving them the strength to make such an impossibly hard decision in literally the worst moment of their entire lives.

Kyle’s first transplant went flawlessly! After a brutal recovery (as expected) from his double lung transplant, Kyle was healthier than he ever had been in his life. Kyle’s transplant doctor said that the lungs he received were the most pristine he had seen in his career! His lung function went from 14% to eventually 118%! Kyle was able to live his 20’s and early 30’s out like any other person. He worked incredibly hard, and he met Maggie who is now is wife of 3 years. It has been incredible to watch him live. Obviously, he still had to take a lot of medications but he was actually living.

Kyle’s body is now rejecting his once “pristine” lungs. On July 8th, they found Staph and Burkholderia Cepacia. His pulmonary functions were only at 17%. He spent is 34th birthday in the ER. His GERD was so bad he had acid splashing up into his mouth. Maggie and Kyle have had to move two times in a single month because Kyle was not able to climb the stairs to their new apartment. They are no longer able to go for their nightly “strolls” as Maggie calls them. Kyle is bound to his oxygen 24/7. My 12 year old (he knows Kyle as “uncle Kyle”) and I were able to go back home a few weeks ago, when Kyle and Maggie came to see us at our family’s place, he was only able to stay for a couple of hours and wore his oxygen tank in a backpack. I could go on and on about how much he is suffering.

Today, we got the amazing news that the transplant board approved him for to be back on the transplant list. With Kyle not able to work, Maggie is left with a massive financial burden on her shoulders. She has had to take off so many days at work for appointments that she is close to being laid off. Maggie loves her job very much. The level of stress she is dealing with, I wouldn’t wish upon anyone.

My goal with this campaign is to alleviate that burden. Especially once Kyle does get his transplant, Maggie won’t be able to work for multiple months while she cares for Kyle. They will most likely lose their apartment. Kyle and Maggie have enough to worry about right now and they should not have to worry about finances. Their rent is around $1450 a month but even if you’re able to donate one dollar, it helps!! I truly mean that. And if you can’t donate, please share Kyle and Maggie’s story and pray for them. This campaign is directly linked to Kyle and Maggie’s bank account.