Welcome to Duke Lung Transplant Friends
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Diane Detmer
Website designed, published and maintained by Diane Detmer
Contact Webmaster: dinki@charter.net
Diane Detmer
Website designed, published and maintained by Diane Detmer
Contact Webmaster: dinki@charter.net
Duke Lung Transplant Patient Guide Review
An Informal Discussion for Patients and Caregivers
Lung Transplant Evaluation
An Informal Discussion for Patients and Caregivers
Lung Transplant Evaluation
As you have read in the Duke Lung Transplant Patient Guide, the Lung Transplant Evaluation is a series of tests, examinations and interviews used to determine your eligibility for a lung transplant. Each of the tests are clearly described in the Patient Guide. Although most patients will go through all of the tests listed in the Patient Guide, not everyone will. The transplant team will notify you what tests you will need have done. There may also be tests requested by the transplant team that are not currently listed in the Patient Guide. Keep in mind that the more information about your health pre-transplant the transplant team has is to your benefit.
Making the initial decision to pursue a lung transplant is the first hurdle people must go over. The decision making process in itself can be very stressful. The transplant evaluation is the second hurdle that must be overcome on the road to a lung transplant. It also has its own set of stresses to deal with. The Evaluation will be done as an in patient or out patient depending on your current health status and your health insurance provisions.
If the evaluation is done as an in patient, you don’t have to be concerned about finding your way around from one department to another on your own for each of your tests and the doctors will come to see you instead of you going to see them. Additionally, the staff is available to help each step of the way and answer any questions you may have. If you are already sick, you can deal with both issues at the same time, which can work well. The downside to this is just being in the hospital is an ordeal. If you are not “sick”, you could get sick just being there. The Lung Transplant Coordinator will notify you which route you will be taking for your Evaluation.
If the evaluation is done as an outpatient, the Lung Transplant Office will send you a schedule for all of your tests and doctor appointments. You will begin at the Private Diagnostic Clinic. The Duke Lung Transplant Patient Guide has the information you need about parking and maneuvering around the clinics and hospital. If you arrive by 8 am, you will find it much easier to get a good parking space along with fewer crowds to deal with. There are ample handicap parking spaces available on each floor of the parking garage. Arriving early also prevents having to hurry and gives you time to get your bearings and become familiar with the facility.
Ellen Stone, the transplant Social Worker will give a brief orientation of the evaluation process and answer questions. Bring a list of questions and concerns to this orientation. From the orientation meeting, your evaluation schedule begins. Some tests will be done at the Private Diagnostic Clinic and some tests will be done in the hospital. You and your caregiver are basically on your own going from one clinic to another for the several days you are there for the evaluation. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes and be prepared to wait.
Having the Lung Transplant Evaluation as an outpatient can be rather overwhelming if you are not familiar with how things work at Duke. There is a patient drop off area at the front door of the clinic. The Private Diagnostic Clinic is a large facility comprised of many different clinics. Each clinic is easily identified by a number and letter. Clinic 2F/2G is where the Duke Lung Transplant Clinic is located. If you go through a lung transplant at Duke, you will visit this clinic many, many times. A shuttle, accessible in the basement provides easy travel back and forth between the Private Diagnostic Clinic and the hospital.
There is a cafeteria in the basement of the Private Diagnostic Clinic and another cafeteria in the basement of the Hospital. Make sure to check the instructions for preparing for specific tests before eating or drinking. Eating or drinking prior to a test that requires fasting will cause the test to be rescheduled. It is very difficult to get appointments scheduled for tests to be done in the same time frame. Having to reschedule testing could delay your being listed for a transplant.
It is good to familiarize yourself with the names of the different doctors and surgeons you are scheduled to meet. Knowing if you are talking to a surgeon or a pulmonologist may change the questions you ask. You may find that carrying your Duke Lung Transplant Patient Guide with you during the evaluation is helpful. The evaluation is a great time to begin using your separate little notebook and writing down questions you have and notes from the doctors you see. The appointments with the doctors and surgeons can move especially quickly and remembering important information may be difficult - take notes! Remember too - The only dumb question is the one that doesn’t get asked!
Older children may find the evaluation process very interesting and they may feel more included in the process if they are allowed be part of the evaluation process too. Younger children may find the process very taxing. As a caregiver, your loved one needs your full undivided attention. They need to have confidence that they can depend on you. Having younger children there may prove to be too stressful for everyone involved. If you bring younger children to Durham with you, consider bringing someone else to take care of the children while you help your loved one get through the evaluation process. Lung Transplant does affect the entire family and everyone needs to be able to have some understanding of what is involved and have a part in the process. Consult with the Transplant Psychologist and/or Social Worker regarding coping with the process.
Making the initial decision to pursue a lung transplant is the first hurdle people must go over. The decision making process in itself can be very stressful. The transplant evaluation is the second hurdle that must be overcome on the road to a lung transplant. It also has its own set of stresses to deal with. The Evaluation will be done as an in patient or out patient depending on your current health status and your health insurance provisions.
If the evaluation is done as an in patient, you don’t have to be concerned about finding your way around from one department to another on your own for each of your tests and the doctors will come to see you instead of you going to see them. Additionally, the staff is available to help each step of the way and answer any questions you may have. If you are already sick, you can deal with both issues at the same time, which can work well. The downside to this is just being in the hospital is an ordeal. If you are not “sick”, you could get sick just being there. The Lung Transplant Coordinator will notify you which route you will be taking for your Evaluation.
If the evaluation is done as an outpatient, the Lung Transplant Office will send you a schedule for all of your tests and doctor appointments. You will begin at the Private Diagnostic Clinic. The Duke Lung Transplant Patient Guide has the information you need about parking and maneuvering around the clinics and hospital. If you arrive by 8 am, you will find it much easier to get a good parking space along with fewer crowds to deal with. There are ample handicap parking spaces available on each floor of the parking garage. Arriving early also prevents having to hurry and gives you time to get your bearings and become familiar with the facility.
Ellen Stone, the transplant Social Worker will give a brief orientation of the evaluation process and answer questions. Bring a list of questions and concerns to this orientation. From the orientation meeting, your evaluation schedule begins. Some tests will be done at the Private Diagnostic Clinic and some tests will be done in the hospital. You and your caregiver are basically on your own going from one clinic to another for the several days you are there for the evaluation. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes and be prepared to wait.
Having the Lung Transplant Evaluation as an outpatient can be rather overwhelming if you are not familiar with how things work at Duke. There is a patient drop off area at the front door of the clinic. The Private Diagnostic Clinic is a large facility comprised of many different clinics. Each clinic is easily identified by a number and letter. Clinic 2F/2G is where the Duke Lung Transplant Clinic is located. If you go through a lung transplant at Duke, you will visit this clinic many, many times. A shuttle, accessible in the basement provides easy travel back and forth between the Private Diagnostic Clinic and the hospital.
There is a cafeteria in the basement of the Private Diagnostic Clinic and another cafeteria in the basement of the Hospital. Make sure to check the instructions for preparing for specific tests before eating or drinking. Eating or drinking prior to a test that requires fasting will cause the test to be rescheduled. It is very difficult to get appointments scheduled for tests to be done in the same time frame. Having to reschedule testing could delay your being listed for a transplant.
It is good to familiarize yourself with the names of the different doctors and surgeons you are scheduled to meet. Knowing if you are talking to a surgeon or a pulmonologist may change the questions you ask. You may find that carrying your Duke Lung Transplant Patient Guide with you during the evaluation is helpful. The evaluation is a great time to begin using your separate little notebook and writing down questions you have and notes from the doctors you see. The appointments with the doctors and surgeons can move especially quickly and remembering important information may be difficult - take notes! Remember too - The only dumb question is the one that doesn’t get asked!
Older children may find the evaluation process very interesting and they may feel more included in the process if they are allowed be part of the evaluation process too. Younger children may find the process very taxing. As a caregiver, your loved one needs your full undivided attention. They need to have confidence that they can depend on you. Having younger children there may prove to be too stressful for everyone involved. If you bring younger children to Durham with you, consider bringing someone else to take care of the children while you help your loved one get through the evaluation process. Lung Transplant does affect the entire family and everyone needs to be able to have some understanding of what is involved and have a part in the process. Consult with the Transplant Psychologist and/or Social Worker regarding coping with the process.