John Dehnke Deedee Dehnke

Hello Friends & Family, 

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using this to keep family and friends updated all in one place. We appreciate your support and words encouragement. Thank you all for visiting.
 
I would like to Thank my husband John, my daughter Samantha, and son Skyler, as well as any family and friends that are helping me with this blessed event. My heart ❤️ is filled with never ending appreciation and love for all of you.  
Here is some background information about my illness or as my Son would say, my God given journey. I have been diagnosed with Constructive Bronchiolitis Obliterans which is a rare lung disease. It is a fibrotic airway disorder that can effect anyone,even non smokers like myself. It is an irreversible and the damage cannot be fixed with medication. The only treatment that has known success is a double lung transplant.
About two years ago I started with a chronic cough that lasted over a year. I started doctoring in LaCrosse without a successful diagnosis. My husband John had called my pulmonary doctor because he was concerned and asked for a referral to Rochester Mayo. After I started doctoring At Mayo I have been hosptilized twice due to my lung collpasing. Through many weeks and hours of testing (including 29 viles of blood, physicals, MRI's, biospsys, and many more) I was diagnosed. Something about my tests did not meet Mayo's critieria and they denied me for a transplant. Mayo then reffered me to the UW Health of Madison Wi, where they do many more lung transplants. I am so joyful to announce that they have accepted me on their transplant list. They told me to pack a bag as I could be called at any given time and need to be at the hospital within 3.5 hours! It could happen today or two years from now, but we need to be prepared! I am thankful to my many good friends and family members that have helped me with this Whirlwind journey, I couldn't feel more blessed. I have learned how good people can be and how much love people have to give! I have come closer to GOD then I have ever been before and he has given me PEACEFULNESS and HOPE! Thank you in advance for all that will donate and attend my benefit.