Sorority Rush

The more transplant evaluations I do the more they remind me of sorority rush. You meet many people in an organization and get to know them and vice versa in a very short time frame. You do your best to look well groomed, be friendly, ask important yet appropriate questions, and divulge enough information so they know you but not so much that you annoy them. When I rushed in college the first time my heart was set on Delta Gamma. They were very focused on academics yet still seemed to have a reasonable amount of fun. They had a beautiful house. Their symbol was an anchor and it all seemed so nautically magical. I thought for sure that they loved me as much as I loved them. In fact I even bought a cute cardigan with an anchor on it before knowing their decision. That’s how confident I was the feeling was mutual.

During my visit at Duke I loved them so much that I bought scrubs and a t-shirt with Duke Med on them. It seemed like the perfect place with a beautiful campus and really smart people who worked there. I was willing to do whatever it took to be a “dukie”. In the end I was declined by Duke just as I had been declined by Delta Gamma many years ago. They had valid medical reasons for not taking me due to my esophagus issues.

After Delta Gamma declined me I rushed again. This time I was given an offer by Alpha Xi Delta. I gladly accepted. They had smart girls to and I felt instantly at ease there. Was it where I first thought I’d be? No. Was it the best place for me? Yes. There I made lifelong friends that have made my life richer and happier.  During this second round of transplant evaluations I’m looking for my Alpha Xi Delta.

At UPMC in Pittsburgh, I think I may have found it. They take the cases that Duke rejects due to esophagus motility. The head of their program Dr. Pilewski is also the co-director of their cystic fibrosis clinic. He’s smart and he really gets what those of us with CF go through. I felt instantly at ease with him. They have extensive experience dealing with my complex issues and take on the riskiest cases. Waiting for their decision was one of the hardest waits I’ve ever had to endure. I knew if they rejected me then probably no other center would take me. Finally on Friday I got their call. My coordinator Paul left me a voicemail saying I was accepted as a candidate for a double lung transplant.  I will never forget sitting in my car with my husband as tears streamed down our faces. A huge burden had just been lifted and I was so relieved, overjoyed, and grateful.

Later that day my local center Indiana University said no. They did not feel comfortable with the amount of experience they had dealing with my issues. I’m also still considering University of Kentucky in Lexington. We meet with them tomorrow. I’m ready for rush to be over to be honest. But the good news is I’ve got one offer from a place that feels right to me. Do I have their t-shirt yet? No. But I do have a set of Duke Med scrubs if anyone is interested. The cardigan sweater with the anchor is long gone though.