So what's this evaluation thing-a-ma-jig you keep referring to? Well, you can't just walk into a hospital & be like "I need new lungs, got any laying around?" The hospital must review the medical records first & then, if they think they can help, they will call to schedule an INTENSIVE one week evaluation. This is done to determine if the patient is a good candidate for surgery.
And these hospitals don't fuck around either. When I say they probe & prod, they do that AND stick tubes down your throat,(an Endoscopy) run instruments up your torso into your heart,(Cardiac catheterization) plus xrays, blood tests & tissue typing, pulmonary function tests, appts with surgeons, financial aid specialists, social workers...I'm surprised we don't meet with the cafeteria & cleaning staff too.
Approximately one week after the evaluation, UPMC will call us with a decision. IF, & that's a big if, they decide he's a good candidate for a transplant, he will be put on a waiting list. We will have to move to Pittsburgh for an undisclosed amount of time as according to UPMC, there is a shortage of donors.
Move to Pittsburgh!? Yep, you read that right. We could be gone 2 months or 6 or 9. Just depends on how quickly a pair of lungs can be obtained. It's actually an overwhelming prospect. I mean the amount of money we'll have to spend. No wait, we'll have to find the money first THEN spend it. Once we meet with the insurance/financial specialist next week, we'll have a better idea of how much money out of pocket we'll need. Yep, insurance won't cover it all. Shocking, right? I'll save that rant for another day.
Perhaps we should start raising some funds? Or planning to plan
ReplyDeleteTo raise some funds? Love you both! Renee