Donna Collins' Lung Transplant Journey Memorial

n we thought I might be expecting again, the doctor discovered that not only was I not pregnant, but I had a low-grade fever and anemia. I was devastated, but Ray remained positive that we would figure out what the problem was, get it taken care of and move on with our plans of having more children. After more than six months of tests and two surgeries, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Jennifer was 20 months old the day I started my year of chemo. At that time, cancer treatments were not as targeted as they are now. Research over the past 30 years has greatly improved care for cancer patients and their families. So I had 2 chemo treatments every month for a full year. After all the chemo and a final exploratory surgery, where my spleen was removed and tested, I was declared “in remission”. Praise God and thanks to my family and friends for all the prayers that got me through that. I know in my heart that I would not have made it through it without every single person and prayer that was said on my behalf. Then, about 13 months after the surgery, I contracted bacterial spinal meningitis. Again, God put the right people in my life to order the right tests to diagnose something that most adults don’t get, because their spleen will fight this bacteria. But since I don’t have a spleen any longer, I was able to get it. I lost all hearing in my left ear and had little to no use of my legs, and my neck muscles were like a newborn’s. After 3 weeks in the hospital, many rounds of antibiotics, and 8 weeks of physical therapy, I was walking again and able to care for Jennifer, who was now 4 years old. Life continued on, and less than a year later, Ray and I got the all clear from my oncologist that we could try to have another baby. I was so excited, until I realized that I was no longer fertile, because of the chemo. Once again, our plans were derailed! So, I sought fertility testing and treatment from my OB/GYN. After 9 months of Clomid, I got pregnant, and at the 13 week ultrasound found out that we were having TWINS!!!! Just three days before Jennifer’s 6th birthday, Kristina and Matthew were born at 32 weeks 5 days. Kristina was 4 lbs, 17 ½ inches long and Matthew was 3 lbs 12 oz, 17 inches. They were so tiny, but very healthy for preemies. They were only in the hospital for a couple of weeks, which in itself is a miracle. For the next 15 years or so, I was relatively healthy, and our life was once again wonderful. Then, about 12 years ago, I was teaching Bible study at our church and was having difficulty going up the stairs. My doctor told me that I was just overweight and out of shape. A couple of years later, I was still having problems and my oxygen saturation at rest was low, around 87, so I started seeing a pulmonologist and the testing began. After all the tests came back negative, I was given a diagnosis of Exercise-Induced Asthma with instructions to use portable oxygen at the gym for workouts and an oxygen concentrator at night. Well, we went on with that for a number of years with some success at making me feel better. Due to exercise and medications, I was eventually able to get off of the oxygen completely for a short time! Then, about 2 years ago, I started having the same problems again, but the exercise and medications did not seem to help as much. So some of the tests were repeated and a catherization of the right side of my heart was done, which revealed Pulmonary Hypertension, meaning the pressure in the pulmonary arteries is high. This was causing the right side of my heart to work too hard to pump blood through my lungs, and my lungs were not oxygenating my blood correctly. Because I do not have another medical issue that can cause this, it is considered Primary Pulmonary Hypertension or PPH. However, the doctors have all told me that this is probably due to the chemotherapy that saved my life 30 years ago. This is a progressive disease, for which there is no cure and little treatment. The medications for PPH really only treat the symptoms and do little to stop the progression of the disease. The only true solution for PPH is double lung transplant, which was difficult to hear, but we are moving forward with. Now you know how we got to this point. I will be getting my transplant with the Lung Transplant Group at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville, TN. We will be updating this page as often as possible to let everyone know any new specific prayer concerns as they occur. I am now 55 years old with 3 wonderful children, 2 terrific sons-in-law and 4 precious grandchildren. Ray and I love God with all our hearts, and He is the Lord of our lives and our guide through this entire situation. We are asking everyone who believes that prayer works, and even those who doubt, to take this journey with us. Follow this page and watch God continue to work miracles in our lives.