Rick Egnor

The discovery that I had “Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis” or “IPF” came rather quickly in December of 2016. My “coming out” to the public was our New Year’s Eve cruise party on the General Jackson Riverboat with our cousins and some friends.

At first, I wanted a sign that read – “I never smoked a cigarette” – so people would know I did not abuse my lungs – but passed on laying out guilt trips to others. My doctor told me about the prognosis and we began the process of getting on one of the two drugs approved to at least slow the progression of an otherwise fatal disease. I immediately started planning for the inevitable. We began the process of selling our home to downsize.

I was initially against entering a transplant program as I did not want to take the place of someone else more in need. In any case, Vanderbilt did not accept anyone for transplant over the age of 65. However, one Sunday after teaching Sunday School Dr. Priscilla Knolle, a sweet member of my class, convinced me otherwise. She pointed out that while I had IPF, I had no other co-morbidities. She told me that I should not rule out a transplant at some other healthcare facility like Duke or Johns Hopkins.

Once he knew I was open to the idea my Vanderbilt Pulmonologist, Dr. Miller, immediately ordered a work-up to see if Vanderbilt would accept me despite that fact that I was over their age limitation. They discovered I did have one possible issue that eliminated me from Vanderbilt – and that was a “slow esophagus,” which sometimes complicates recovery after transplant.

After rejection by Vanderbilt – my pulmonologist reached out to other lung transplant programs and Johns Hopkins Hospital was willing to evaluate my case. So we quickly made arrangements to be evaluated – that occurred in May of 2017 – and on May 30 we received the notice that I was accepted for lung transplant at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Because I have to report to the hospital within 3 hours of their finding the organs, Brenda and I will have to live temporarily in Baltimore for 4-6 months or more.

Our current plan – which seem to change daily with new information – is to re-locate in Baltimore by the first of July. The transplant coordinator at Hopkins had suggested an Air Ambulance arrangement that would allow us to stay in Franklin, TN until lungs were available, but the uncertainties around the ability of the companies to get us to Baltimore within this tight 3 hour window forced the relocation.

The bottom line is that I need to to get a double lung transplant before my current lungs quit. We leave it all in God’s hands and have seen Him be faithful time and again throughout this journey.
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Brenda and I are so grateful for the personal support of so many people.
• The SS Class that I teach at Brentwood United Methodist Church – Acts 2:42
• Joyful Noise Sunday School Class at Brentwood United Methodist Church
• Brentwood United Methodist Church Choir
• The Mary Hartman Chapter of the Brentwood United Methodist Women
• Trevecca Heritage Men’s Chorale
• Community Health Systems – my work home of 15 years
• Brenda’s P.E.O. sisters
• Our families
• Friends from Trevecca University and the Church of the Nazarene
• The Adult Learning Center of Williamson County, TN (Formerly Wms. Co. Literary Council)
• Former business associates
• Those who we continue communication that have been a part of our lives for 70 years
We feel so blessed!