Jim Kraus StrongbowJim

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.
Jim and I were in Ireland last May (SO glad we made that trip). While we were in Waterford , the tour guide picked several of our fellow travelers to explain the history of that town. He picked Jim to be "Strongbow" and from then on, that was his nickname! 
When we returned from Ireland, Jim had a visit with his pulmonologist for some issues of shortness of breath and found his lung function to be @ 40%. We moved forward with some testing and eventually wound up at the Cleveland Clinic for a second opinion in Sept, function down to 38%. At that first visit, we were told we should consider a lung transplant. We picked our jaws up off the ground and went home. 
We then agreed to do the work up for the transplant and after every "nook and cranny" of Jim has been explored, have been listed for a double lung transplant since March 16th.  The good news is that he is healthy in every other way. They keep telling him he is a good candidate for the transplant. His last function test had him down to 32%. He is dependent on oxygen, needing anything from 3-4 Liters to 10-15 Liters when doing activity.  He has maintained a great attitude and we are both so thankful for the support of our family and friends. I keep saying "Faith, family and friends" is how we are surviving and facing this difficult challenge.  God bless you all!