Transplant journey update: Recovery's rough road

It's been a bumpy couple weeks for Team McKenna.

"At first, if it wasn't one thing, it was another," Coeur d’Alene resident Corey McKenna said Monday. "This poor girl's going through a lot."

Corey's wife, Jen, had a successful double-lung transplant May 23 that freed her from the cystic fibrosis that had blocked her lungs with mucus since birth.

Before that surgery could happen, she experienced a false alarm May 16.

"They prepped her and all that, and we waited," Corey said. "Finally, they sent her to pre-op only to find out the new lungs were not in good condition. They ended up having pneumonia. We were bummed, but we were told to expect a dry run."

After the false alarm, Jen's health took a nosedive.

"It was getting critical," Corey said. "We were getting worried, but that Thursday morning her doctors said they have a set that looks really good. So, they started getting her ready again. We waited and waited and waited. By about 7 p.m. she was taken to pre-op to get prepared. Doctors confirmed the lungs were in great condition, so surgery was on. My flight was booked, and I was on my way to [Chapel Hill,] North Carolina."

Jen's operation took just more than six hours. Corey arrived at the hospital just as she awoke in the intensive-care unit. He said she did great during the first 24 hours, and even moved to a chair to rest and got up and walked about 20 feet for the first time with her new lungs.

"Of course, she had an entourage of about five people carrying things, like med poles, drainage containers and all that," Corey said.

That night, though, complications set in.

Jen had to be put back on a breathing tube for a bit. She started showing signs of at least one infection. Her temperature rose to 105 degrees. She was placed on a regimen of antibiotics and taken off immuno-suppression drugs, allowing her immune system to fight the infection. Eventually, she stabilized and her temperature returned to normal.

"She was basically sedated for another three to four days trying to kick the infection," Corey said. "It was hour by hour."

When Jen's lungs deflated, doctors poked holes in the sides of her chest to release pressure in her chest cavity and let her lungs refill with air. One of the medications she was taking caused her blood pressure to crash, which made her heart rate go up and her oxygen level go down. She had problems with her intestines from the long periods of sedation, but those calmed down after a few days. She also underwent a temporary tracheotomy to remove all the tubes from her throat and increase her comfort.

As of Monday, she couldn't talk, but she could sign, squeeze hands — and smile.

"There are the small victories," Corey said. "Now we’re moving forward. She’ll probably be in ICU a couple more weeks."

Corey has flown back and forth several times to work. His mother-in-law, Virginia Williams, has stayed by her daughter's side.

"It was exciting to watch her first breath, even though Jen was cool, calm and collected," Williams said via text message. "Each little accomplishment was big to us. We noted that a routine surgery would be essentially uneventful. Surgery a success; change dressings; get meds; discharge. For us, unlabored breathing was awesome. We celebrated her first walk. You would have thought they were baby's first step."

Now they face the complications and the rehabilitation. They're taking comfort in God's promise that Jen will be fine, and calling on that promise, Williams said.

"Today, we ask for prayer for wisdom for the doctors and for strength and comfort for Jen," she wrote.

Corey and Williams both praised the UNC doctors and the care team, who have used their talents and expertise to help Jen on her journey. They're expecting Jen to be able to come home in late September or early October.

The Tubbs Hill Run for Team McKenna to support Jen's transplant journey will be at 5 p.m. June 28. Registration is $22. The run/walk will be on Tubbs because it's one of Jen's favorite places to exercise.

Visit https://cota.org/campaigns/COTAforTeamMcKenna/blog for updates from Jen and Corey.

Run info: https://runsignup.com/Race/ID/CoeurDAlene/TubbsHill- RunforTeamMcKenna