Up The Farway Tree

The Dress Rehearsal – Part 1

It was Wednesday 19th March and I was watching TV, while mum was doing some ironing. She had stayed late that day because Andrew was away down south with work and wasn't due home until 9pm. It was around 8pm when the phone rang and I heard the voice of my transplant coordinator. He was asking if I was well and when I confirmed that yes, I was well, he told me that some lungs were potentially available and to start getting ready to leave. I felt a strange mixture of excitement and apprehension but managed to stay remarkably calm. I then of course realised that Andrew was unlikely to make it home before we had to leave and frantically started trying to reach him on his mobile, but his plane hadn't landed yet so I couldn't get through. In the meantime, we quickly got my case out (which was already packed) and added some last minute items, before packing a bag for Andrew and organising some things for Seb, who would be going to my inlaws for the duration. The coordinator phoned to tell me the ambulance had been called and would be with me shortly. I knew then that Andrew would not be home in time, so we decided that my dad would come and pick Andrew up and they could drive down together, dropping off Seb on route, and hopefully arriving in time.

I then had a call from ambulance control to say that they were very busy, so were going to fly me down instead from Glasgow Airport - which is where Andrew’s flight was coming in! On landing, Andrew realised there were about 20 missed calls from me and phoned straight away -we decided then that he would try and find out where the air ambulance would leave from and meet me there. An ambulance came and took mum and me to the airport, and when we got there Andrew was waiting with the crew – I felt so relieved. It was confirmed that both Andrew and mum could travel on the flight, so poor dad was left to travel down alone. The flight took about 35 minutes, compared with a potential 3-3.5 hr journey by road and it was pretty amazing flying into Newcastle and seeing it lit up at night. An ambulance was waiting on the runway to take us directly to the Freemans hospital.

On arrival at around 10.30 pm we were met by the transplant coordinator,who got us settled into a room and explained what would be happening. I had to get some blood tests, chest xray, temperature checked and a brief examination by the doctor to make sure I was well enough for the operation and that there was no evidence of acute infection. At this stage all we knew was the donor lungs were a good match but we did not know if they would be suitable for transplantation. The retrieval team were expected to arrive at the donor hospital around 11pm and procedures would commence to inspect the lungs. In the meantime we settled down and just waited.

At around 12am I was asked to have a shower and put on a surgical gown and at 1am the coordinator informed us that initial inspection of the lungs with bronchoscopy (camera) were very positive. We then had to await the final go ahead while further testing of the lungs took place. Excitement and anticipation would give way to waves of apprehension as the prospect of major surgery loomed but at the end of it the prospect of a new life glittered.

At around 2am the coordinator appeared with a trolley to say he had the go ahead, and I was going to theatre now. As I was wheeled down the ward I saw my dad walking towards us – I couldn’t believe he has made it with seconds to spare. Outside the doors to theatre I gave everyone a final hug, and in my thoughts asked Frances Ann to now watch over me.

I had some lines places and monitors attached before I was given the anaesthetic for what was expected to be a 6-8 hour operation. My anxieties melted as the drugs took hold, and I drifted into sleep.

Next thing I knew was waking up in ITU at 6am. I was intubated so couldn’t speak and my chest was throbbing. The transplant coordinator was standing by the beside repeatedly saying to me “Jacqueline, you have NOT had a transplant”

…More to follow