Meeting the surgeon

Tuesdays are very important days.  That is when the lung transplant team ( representatives from all areas concerned with lung transplant candidates have their weekly meeting). We always anticipate some news that afternoon or onWednesday.
I dropped Lee off @ 12:15 @ the Center for Living rehab for his usual afternoon of walking, weights, biking stairstepping and a class @ 3:40.  I returned to the condo and immediately had a call advising me to have Lee @ Clinic to see one of the lung transplant surgeon. I inquired as to when and was told NOW. So having learned that things can happen quickly here, I left to retrieve Lee and go to the clinic.
We met with one surgeon who explained all the risks involved with this procedure and allowed us to ask any questions and express any concerns we had about the operation and the recovery period. He asked many questions about any relatives who may have had pulmonary fibrosis as they now know it tends to run in families. We also learned that it is a condition that can suddenly appear or be very gradual over a period of years.  There are no answers as to what causes pulmonary fibrosis.  One can be genetically inclined and something can trigger the process, which would explain Lee's reaction to something he has insisted he inhaled.
The main surgeon came in after this surgeon and one could tell immediately that he was the "Man In Charge"!  He looked rather unassuming until he spoke and we were in awe at the way he explained many issues to us.  One thing he said was that we had to establish trust because he wanted us to know that the team had a responsibility to give Lee a better choice of life and that they also had a responsibility to ensure that the donor of the lung was used for a recipient who would not abuse it and would strive to take care of himself.  He also said they had a responsibility to the person that may have lost their place for the same lung and for their reasons for selecting Lee, if that be the case.  He explained that everything that will be done during surgery and the recovery period would be in the best interest of all.
Now to the conclusion:  Lee's MRI last Friday showed a blockage of one of the tributaries of the LAD or left anterior descending artery of the heart.  This is of concern to them.  They also found that Lee had over the years had small silent heart attacks.  ( several was the term used ).  So, as of today we know that the cardiac surgeons will meet with the lung team and everyone will determine what to do that will be in the best interest for Lee to have a lung transplant.
We do know that he is now in the "window", which means he has a really good chance of being on the list in the near future.
As we get closer to final decisions, I tend to get more apprehensive and Lee is super CALM!.. Actually I'm doing o.k. and We will both be fine.  Thanks to all  of ;you for the support we know we have!  More later.......Brenda