Welcome to our CaringBridge website. I am using it to keep family and friends updated in one place.
My name is Victoria aka Vickie, a wife and modern mom. I am a self-proclaimed foodie, home chef, movie critic, and family woman who believes making Christmas cookies is an art form and walking 5Ks is considered therapeutic. I love to live a mostly healthy lifestyle and follow the 80/20 rule.
Just over 3 years ago my healthy lifestyle was forever changed; after a series of tests spanning several weeks and months, I was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and ANCA Vasculitis. IPF is a rare, terminal lung disease that is fatal without a double lung transplant. The disease is irreversible, of unknown origin, and progressive. The lungs fill with scarring until the patient can no longer breathe. As of December 30th, 2019, my lung capacity has greatly diminished. I currently must be on oxygen 24-hours a day which is not sustainable for the long term. Since my diagnosis, I have attempted to qualify for special treatments, and nothing has reversed or stopped the progression of this disease. My only option now is a complete lung transplant.
Out of 328 million people in the United States, only 100,000 have IPF. The average life expectancy of someone diagnosed with IPF is 3-5 years. I have gone through over a week worth of testing and I now meet the criteria to be on the transplant list for the Mayo Clinic - Rochester. I have been admitted to the Pulmonary Unit at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Saint Mary’s Campus until a set of lungs become available for my transplant.
I appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time. Thank you for visiting and please check back for updates on my progress and journey to getting a double lung transplant.
