IN THE OR

I just said goodbye to Tricia as they wheeled her into the OR. She should be falling to sleep now, and they'll begin ASAP, even before the new lungs arrive.

She was very calm and happy, thanks in large part to the pain meds that she has been on for the chest tube.

Agnes and I have been on our phones with people since we heard the news, and now we'll sit and wait. Don and my parents should be here within the next 3-4 hours.

Here at Duke, for CF patients, there is a 90-95% survival rate for the surgery itself. Tricia has a few more risks because she is still on a vent (it's very rare that any CFer gets transplanted while on a vent). We know that the new lungs are type O, which is the universal blood type.

I'm moving a few things to the car, and then spending some time with Gwyneth.

I've got the OR pager on my, but it literally won't be until they're all done that we'll hear anything. I'll post from now until then with some things that are in my head and on my heart.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. The next 7-9 hours (average for a double lung TX surgery) will be the most difficult of my entire life, and I can't tell you how much it means to know there are literally tens of thousands of people right here with us.

I praise God for what He has done, for what He is doing, and for what He is going to do.

Thank you.

Nate