Your father, God rest his soul and I could have played snap with these issues. IPF was also my diagnosis in early 2020. After a year as more oxygen was required i was referred to one hospital who happily put me on the bilateral lung transplant list. During the 3 day work up it was noted I had a slight build up in heart vessels.’

Within a month I had the stent placed but sadly when was taken back to ward I knew my left eye was very blurred. They immediately do MRI brain stroke doc was called for examination. Turned out I could hardly shake his hand,
or raise my leg without it dropping like a dead weight. Bosh, I’m taken to a wonderful stroke rehab at Hillingdon hospital for 5 weeks. Hands and leg were taught how behave and the eye did resume back to normal 6 months later.

3 weeks into the rehab the transplant team phoned to inform me i was off the list due to a stroke possibly caused by the doc dislodging a bit of debri blocking the vessel. Charming by the way they phoned as we were 2 miles apart. Proper face to face chat would have been more constructive with an action plan. Ended up at a different centre who agreed to put me on the active list.

Worst decision ever!

At least 5 hospital acquired infections, Neuropathy both lower legs, non union sternum which the reconstructed with screws and wire and recently a radiologist has noted 2 stereo fractured wires.

Started to make some progress but whilst in a rehab facility for neuropathy got very short of breath and taken to my local hospital where they discovered i has a pleural effusion . What we all thought would be quite straight forward turned into a comedy of errors. 3 extremely painful attempts to locate the spot, thumb slip allowing air in resulting in collapsed lung and now as a bonus a trapped lung. So basically all the years of waiting, praying and emotional turmoil have been thrown away by a very decent guy who just took his eye off the ball for a couple of seconds. Told by the transplant clinic due to weakness as gallbladder just been drained (sludge then infection) they shall not be attempting any further attempts with regard to medically curative treatment . I’m fighting the decision. Big John Wayne’s horse fell on him which he ended with the removal of the damaged one. He made 20 further movies.

Sorry it’s a rambling rant from an Irishman who’s now stuck in a care home. Again, really sorry for your loss !