Wayne Tucker Wayne Tucker

In the spring of 2016, Wayne was diagnosed with interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) . After local physicians suspected IPF, we were sent to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN in July 2016. There, IPF was confirmed, and Wayne was put on a new drug which was to help slow the progression of the disease. Because of the side effects of the drug and the natural progression of IPF, Wayne choose to retire in order to focus on himself and his health. A follow up visit was held at Mayo in January of 2017, when doctors felt the Wayne might be a possible candidate for a lung transplant. Appointments were scheduled for early March, to see if he met the criteria for the transplant. However, during early testing in March, the doctors found that his lungs suffered from pneumothorax, when air leaks between the lungs and chest wall, and also pleural effusion, which is a fluid buildup around the lungs. Wayne was admitted to St. Mary's intensive care unit in Rochester, where additional testing is being done.