Don's Double Lung Transplant

In case you haven’t met him, Don is our brother in law – (Andrew’s sister Trudi’s husband). How to describe him? He is a hard-working electrician. A humble man of God. A mission-minded humanitarian. A devoted, loving husband. A fun, caring uncle. He is very special to our family and to so many others. In September, Don was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that completely incapacitated him and upended their lives. After weeks in ICU on an ECMO machine, he underwent a double-lung transplant and is currently recovering. As Don and Trudi face the challenges of mounting medical costs, travel expenses, and an inability to work, we are establishing this account to help relieve their financial burden.

The backstory –

On Sept 4 we received a call from Trudi that Don would not be joining us for an annual Florida vacation the next week. He had been experiencing an increasing shortness of breath and had reached a point where he needed to go on oxygen. The doctor recommended he stay home and rest (he had worked up through the day prior!)

His breathing rapidly deteriorated, ultimately landing him in the ER on Sept 19. He was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a disease that claimed his father’s and uncle’s lives many years ago. Genetic. It quickly became clear that Don was in need of new lungs, and his pulmonologist began the process of connecting him with a transplant team in Grand Rapids, MI, two hours from his home in Berrien Springs. On Sept 27 he was admitted to the ER in Grand Rapids. A week and a half later, he was moved into the ICU. That very night he was intubated, and the next day he was put on an ECMO (artificial lung) machine. Without it, he would not be alive. We are so grateful for medical technology and the incredible team that has taken care of him. Even so, it was a scary weekend.

Typically, the life expectancy for a person with Pulmonary Fibrosis is 3-5 years. We have all been astonished at how rapidly this disease ravaged his lungs. Trudi has remained at his side.

On October 23 a donor match became available. In a very long, overnight surgery, Don received the gift of life in the form of a successful double-lung transplant. Within a few days, he was breathing on his own and was moved out of ICU to the rehab floor. Yesterday, two of his chest tubes and his epidural were removed. We praise God for the miracles He has performed in Don’s body!

As Don continues to make incredible progress, we know that he still has a long road ahead. He is receiving PT, OT, and speech therapy, and Trudi is learning how to support him with all the new needs that accompany an organ transplant.

We have started this GoFundMe to help with medical and living expenses as Don and Trudi continue on this journey. With neither of them currently able to work, the future still uncertain, and medical expenses mounting, we want to raise funds to support them through this difficult time. They have insurance, but as you might imagine, the deductibles and copays for an event of this magnitude quickly add up! It is our goal to raise enough to cover Don’s individual deductible for 2021 and 2022 as well as basic living expenses for the next several months. We invite you to join us in this quest, as we collectively share our love, support, and prayers for this precious couple!