Hi everyone!
This is kind of the day that I have been dreading. I have to be honest. But, as you know, my time in Cincinnati Ohio is over, and I had my first appointment with my pulmonologist in Iowa City yesterday. My lung function is bottom of the barrel low right now. If my lung doctor had it her way, I would get new lungs TODAY. I have had the desire to wait as long as I can b/c the fatality ratings all across the board (at surgery, 1 year after, and 5 years after) are WAY too high for what I am comfortable with. So, if I had it my way, I would wait until the last possible second. But, the voice of reason within my doctor is that if I get one little lung infection or pneumonia or anything, it could kill me on the spot. My body has severe auto-immune deficiency, and I would not be able to fight things off anywhere near a normal person. So, I have to get real about this. Obviously the chances of me getting new lungs when I am laying in ICU with a horrible infection or with a lung collapse are not good. So, I have to be smart about this. I have to think about the most important thing in my life besides God, and that would be Jay and the boys. So, I have to do what is right.
So, we are starting lung transplant procedures now. I need to know if I am even a candidate to receive the new lungs. This involves a serious work up of my body function and capabilites, financial work up, psychological work up, etc. My whole family and friends will have to go in to meet with the team and make sure they all understand the seriousness of the surgery and that I will need so much support at home. I will not be able to take care of my kids, myself, or anything by myself for SO LONG. I am talking 6 months to a year. So, I will need to rely on friends and family tremendously. And praise the Lord, my support system could not be any better than they are. It is just amazing. I have been so blessed.
Then, after I am told that I am a candidate to receive the new lungs, Jay and I will have to decide when to “push the button” and get on the list. The risk is that it could take 1 day (which I would not be ready for) or 9 months (which I could die waiting). So, I have to just really be in prayer about all of this and make the right decision. I have the absolute BEST pulmonary doctor, and I love how honest she is and how much she cares. And from what I hear from a good friend of mine who got new lungs in Iowa City 2 years ago and is doing great now, the team is just AMAZING. So, I would be in good hands.
To all of you who care and read my blogs, please pray for me. I do have the Peace of God that Surpasses ALL Understanding right now. I know that He has got this so under control. I don’t feel freaked out right now, if you can believe that. I know that God is in my corner, and I know that He has amazing plans for my life and that I am too young to die. He did not bless me with my beautiful little boys just to take me away from them. So, I am going to put all of my faith and trust in Him.
I will keep updating you all! Blessings and love to you. xoxoxo
Melanie Putnam 
Melanie,
I will pray for you….you are so strong and I am so inspired by your faith and your strength and your unwillingness to give up.
You can always count on me for meals or for hanging with the boys for a few hours. I know I’m not that close, but I’m not that far, either.
Love and Prayers,
Nicole Schneider
Melanie,
I am in awe of you. Your strength and belief are truly inspiring. You must be an angel in God’s eyes. I am praying for you daily which is something I have not done much of in the last few years. I am hoping that because I have not asked him for anything he will listen and take such great care of you during this time. You are an angel to me as well and you have made me much more aware of so much that I have taken for granted! All my prayers are with you and your family… Thank You, Wendy
I met the doctors and nurses at your University of Iowa lung transplant clinic — they’re AWESOME — push the button.
Your doctor is letting you know that you’re ready — that implies that you cannot live all that long in the condition your in, or you’re headed towards, and now is the time to make that leap of faith… The window for lung transplant is precarious — waiting too long can make recovery very difficult, yet you don’t want to lose any precious life by getting it to early… But you have every indication that it is not too early to get in line now…
Survival rates are a moving target right now — and they’ve been moving in your favor for many years… And you have to know, and believe, and understand that the odds are in your favor…
When I’m not in my work clothing, and even sometimes when I am, I strut around in Hawkeye clothes — Jacket, shirt, hat — something… I think I wear it more proudly than most Iowa grads… I was born and raised and live in Chicago — but my beautiful lungs are from Iowa… 10 years ago I was dying, after struggling almost 40 years with cystic fibrosis. 10 years ago a beautiful girl from Iowa told her family how strongly she felt about organ donation in the month before she passed away. Twice. I breathe with her lungs… I have a little of her story and my story here:
You are doubtless stuggling at times now — I recall that pretty well, Melanie — and this breathin’ stuff with “real” lungs blows my freakin’ mind…
You and Jay and your children deserve so much more of you — and this is one way they can get that… This is one way you can give them that…
I was invited to speak at the Heart Lung Transplant Picnic at University of Iowa last year — it was a wonderful experience… And I also saw the teams and the people who will be taking care of you, when you choose this route… They are incredible people.
You take care… I know you’ve got difficult decisions to make, and fears to face — I don’t know you very well — pretty much just what I’ve read in this post… But I sense from your post that you have incredible strength. Now is the time to rely on that…
Love, Steve
Steve Ferkau
Chicago, IL
Melaine,
You are such an encouragement for me. God Bless You, and know that I am praying for you and your lovely family.
Melanie….You have all the supporters, love and prayers. You are a very wise woman and you will make the right decision. My hope for you is quality of life. Don’t wait so long for new lungs thatyou struggle with the transplant because you are so weak that your body can’t make the adjustment. Miracles happen every single day.
Love you and wish nyou nthe very best. Trust your judgement.
Barb
Hi Melanie,
Push the button! Does the lord grant you to do so? If so you have more support than you will know what to do with lol! I pray for the lord to show you in your dreams what his plans and promises are for the future for you. I pray you get rest and peace. Seek and rest in him. Ask for peace and you will be amazed! He will guide you and help with all these decisions. Not for one second do I think any of this is easy for you and your family; what I do know is the impact you have on so many others. I want you to know that I am thankful for so many areas that you are waiting for (ex normal breathing etc) Patience is hard for me too, I want to remind you, when you sit and wait with him , he allows you to see what faith really is. Being restless and impatience shows the enemy our hearts being unfaithful. I learned in a recent sermon to cancel satin acts by when thoughts enter into your mind, find a scripture to speak outloud and this helps so the satin thought does not enter your heart. the lord is so powerful he teaches us how to cancel fear, doubt, hate, bitter, being scared, and any other feeling, thought or emotion you have been faced with by simply study and speaking faith filled words. We are all human and the lord already knows how we feel, so speak his word gives him the okay to bless you abundantly and speak up! Such a neat lesson to pass on-
Much love and support,
Kady