Five years ago Daniel Fitzgibbon was painting a house when he felt short of breath.

The feeling wasn含羞草研究社檛 new to him 含羞草研究社� Fitzgibbon was a smoker who had also been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which leads to swollen and blocked lungs 含羞草研究社� but this felt different.

含羞草研究社淚 tried to pretend it was nothing and pushed along,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淚t was difficult but I pushed along.含羞草研究社�

That turned out to be a bad idea.

Doctors later discovered three blood clots in his lungs. Those were removed, but nodules then developed in both lungs. They weren含羞草研究社檛 cancerous, but over time did enough damage that he now needs a double-lung transplant.

That type of surgery may sound unique, but in B.C. there have already been 18 double-lung transplants through May 1 according to BC Transplant.

As of May 1, 25 people were waiting for two new lungs. Fitzgibbon is one of them.

The 55-year-old Meadow Creek resident lives on a farm with his wife, Rachel Dugdale. There, Fitzgibbon has been unable to work since 2017 as his condition worsens. He now relies on Dugdale to provide their only income, feed and bath him.

含羞草研究社淔arming, as you can imagine, doesn含羞草研究社檛 pay a lot,含羞草研究社� he says.

Fitzgibbon has been told he will likely receive a call for surgery sometime before November. His wait is complicated by his B-positive blood type, which Canada Blood Services says only 7.5 per cent of Canadians have.

The couple have also, hesitantly, . Fitzgibbon will have his surgery at Vancouver General Hospital. Because of possible complications, such as the body rejecting the lungs, he will need to live close to the hospital for three-to-six months.

Dugdale says they can含羞草研究社檛 afford to rent a place in Vancouver while also paying their mortgage in Meadow Creek.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 hard because I know all of our neighbours work hard and to be to be asking for money is tricky, but it含羞草研究社檚 the double rent. 含羞草研究社�,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淪o it含羞草研究社檚 something we had to do with a GoFundMe page.含羞草研究社�

When Fitzgibbon gets his new set of lungs, the likelihood he makes a full recover is good. BC Transplant says patient survival for double-lung transplants is 90.8 per cent through the first year, and 71.3 per cent over 10 years afterward.

含羞草研究社淵ou start to think about this kind of major surgery, it含羞草研究社檚 deeply frightening,含羞草研究社� says Dugdale. 含羞草研究社淏ut I think with the energy Dan has, it含羞草研究社檚 something we含羞草研究社檙e willing to take a risk on.含羞草研究社�

Fitzgibbon is looking forward to being able to help Dugdale again. Every day he waits by the phone for a call that could save his life.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檇 sure love the opportunity,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 only 55. These are the years to be working and creating your retirement set up.含羞草研究社�

To make a donation to Fitzgibbon and Dugdale, (https://bit.ly/2SOxAy4). Visit to become an organ donor.

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| tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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