Sarah Mayberry, M.P.H.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Jack Wagner and Dan Roy walked into the hospital as strangers and walked out with a lifelong bond.
Wagner and Roy have a lot in common. They're both 64 years old. They've both been married to their wives for more than 40 years and have the same number of children and several grandchildren. They both served in Vietnam and were even stationed in the same city. They both retired from the auto industry and both love to play golf. But these men now share something much deeper -- a second chance at life.
It happened Jan. 2 at the University of Michigan Transplant Center.
"We both walked in the door darn near simultaneously," said Wagner. "He might have been 10 feet ahead of me."
Wagner noticed Roy was using oxygen, just like him.
"I just asked him, 'May I ask why you're coming here?' He said, 'I'm here for a lung transplant,' and I said 'So am I,'" said Wagner. "And I asked him, 'Can I ask what side you're coming in for?' He said, 'The right side.' And I said, 'Oh, I'm coming for the left side.'"
It was no coincidence. The men immediately realized they were each receiving a lung from the same donor.
"We were actually in adjoining operating rooms," said Roy.
Wagner and Roy were suffering from a disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. It causes the lungs to become scarred and stiff, making it increasingly difficult to breath. Doctors don't know what causes it, and the only treatment is a lung transplant.
Roy lost his brother to the same disease.
"I pretty much knew from my brother that once the disease starts picking up speed, it's definitely a death sentence," said Roy.
The diagnosis shook Wagner to the core.
"I was afraid I wouldn't see my grandkids grow up," said Wagner.
Wagner and Roy were incredibly active before their illnesses, playing several sports, traveling with their wives and enjoying life with their grandchildren. But by late last fall, they were on oxygen and needed a transplant soon.
When the call came, they were in shock, they said.
"We had the bag packed, we were going to be the coolest people in the world. All of a sudden we get the call, and it's 'What do we do now?'" said Roy.
Their transplants were extra special for the University of Michigan transplant program as well. Wagner was U of M's 499th lung transplant. Roy was No. 500.
"We had two operating rooms running at the same time. So Dr. (Rishi) Reddy and I were doing the transplants at the same time," said Dr. Jules Lin, a thoracic surgeon at the University of Michigan.
The surgeons kid each other about who did the honors.
"I think I should have been a little slower so Dr. Lin could have been 499, and I would have been 500," said Reddy.
But they said each patient is a milestone to them.
"For me, it's really rewarding to be a part of that," said Lin.
"For us, this milestone of 500 is extremely significant, and we very excited to have met that milestone," said Dr. Kevin Chan, director of the U of M lung transplant program.
"Numbers are important, but it's also important for quality of care, survival and patient satisfaction," said Chan. "And the most important person that's involved is the family members of the person who actually donated the organs to help save other people's lives."
All of the doctors said they wish they could help more patients, if only there were more people willing to donate their organs.
"You can't take the lungs off the shelf," said Lin.
"Everyone in my family is an organ donor," said Reddy. "I think people just don't realize the life-saving benefits you an offer, even if it's a tragedy for yourself or for your family member. You can provide five, six, seven people with a new opportunity or new lease on life by donating."
Wagner and Roy don't know anything about their donor, but they know exactly what they want to tell his or her family.
"The donor means everything. It meant my new life," said Roy. "I don't know if I can put into words how grateful I feel."
"I wish I could put my arms around them, thank them," said Wagner. "I'm just so grateful. So grateful."
Wagner and Roy and their wives plan to keep in touch.
"I don't know if there's a fraternity of lung brothers or what," said Wagner.
They said they're looking forward to going for walks outside, spending more time with their grandkids and enjoying every breath.
"People that see me say, 'Oh my gosh, that's the old Dan. That's not the sick Dan we've seen. You're the old Dan,' and that's the way I feel. I feel like I got my life back. It's incredibly exciting," said Roy.
To learn more about joining the organ donor registry, click here.To find out more about the University of Michigan Transplant Center, click here.
Wagner and Roy have a lot in common. They're both 64 years old. They've both been married to their wives for more than 40 years and have the same number of children and several grandchildren. They both served in Vietnam and were even stationed in the same city. They both retired from the auto industry and both love to play golf. But these men now share something much deeper -- a second chance at life.
It happened Jan. 2 at the University of Michigan Transplant Center.
"We both walked in the door darn near simultaneously," said Wagner. "He might have been 10 feet ahead of me."
Wagner noticed Roy was using oxygen, just like him.
"I just asked him, 'May I ask why you're coming here?' He said, 'I'm here for a lung transplant,' and I said 'So am I,'" said Wagner. "And I asked him, 'Can I ask what side you're coming in for?' He said, 'The right side.' And I said, 'Oh, I'm coming for the left side.'"
It was no coincidence. The men immediately realized they were each receiving a lung from the same donor.
"We were actually in adjoining operating rooms," said Roy.
Wagner and Roy were suffering from a disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. It causes the lungs to become scarred and stiff, making it increasingly difficult to breath. Doctors don't know what causes it, and the only treatment is a lung transplant.
Roy lost his brother to the same disease.
"I pretty much knew from my brother that once the disease starts picking up speed, it's definitely a death sentence," said Roy.
The diagnosis shook Wagner to the core.
"I was afraid I wouldn't see my grandkids grow up," said Wagner.
Wagner and Roy were incredibly active before their illnesses, playing several sports, traveling with their wives and enjoying life with their grandchildren. But by late last fall, they were on oxygen and needed a transplant soon.
When the call came, they were in shock, they said.
"We had the bag packed, we were going to be the coolest people in the world. All of a sudden we get the call, and it's 'What do we do now?'" said Roy.
Their transplants were extra special for the University of Michigan transplant program as well. Wagner was U of M's 499th lung transplant. Roy was No. 500.
"We had two operating rooms running at the same time. So Dr. (Rishi) Reddy and I were doing the transplants at the same time," said Dr. Jules Lin, a thoracic surgeon at the University of Michigan.
The surgeons kid each other about who did the honors.
"I think I should have been a little slower so Dr. Lin could have been 499, and I would have been 500," said Reddy.
But they said each patient is a milestone to them.
"For me, it's really rewarding to be a part of that," said Lin.
"For us, this milestone of 500 is extremely significant, and we very excited to have met that milestone," said Dr. Kevin Chan, director of the U of M lung transplant program.
"Numbers are important, but it's also important for quality of care, survival and patient satisfaction," said Chan. "And the most important person that's involved is the family members of the person who actually donated the organs to help save other people's lives."
All of the doctors said they wish they could help more patients, if only there were more people willing to donate their organs.
"You can't take the lungs off the shelf," said Lin.
"Everyone in my family is an organ donor," said Reddy. "I think people just don't realize the life-saving benefits you an offer, even if it's a tragedy for yourself or for your family member. You can provide five, six, seven people with a new opportunity or new lease on life by donating."
Wagner and Roy don't know anything about their donor, but they know exactly what they want to tell his or her family.
"The donor means everything. It meant my new life," said Roy. "I don't know if I can put into words how grateful I feel."
"I wish I could put my arms around them, thank them," said Wagner. "I'm just so grateful. So grateful."
Wagner and Roy and their wives plan to keep in touch.
"I don't know if there's a fraternity of lung brothers or what," said Wagner.
They said they're looking forward to going for walks outside, spending more time with their grandkids and enjoying every breath.
"People that see me say, 'Oh my gosh, that's the old Dan. That's not the sick Dan we've seen. You're the old Dan,' and that's the way I feel. I feel like I got my life back. It's incredibly exciting," said Roy.
To learn more about joining the organ donor registry, click here.To find out more about the University of Michigan Transplant Center, click here.
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