To-Do List (Part 2)

I would guess that my post on our decision to list for transplant might generate a bunch of practical curiosities about the process.  I’ll try to address some of those.

While we might have lobbied our transplant team to stay in Cincinnati, ultimately we decided that temporary relocation to St. Louis is the best option for our family.

1. I am blessed with a Mount St. Joseph program chair, dean and human resources office  that is willing to have me work remotely from Missouri.  Much of my work as the Director of Clinical Education occurs at distance anyway, with my students interning all over the country;  I have some fantastic colleagues who are quite able and willing to manage the campus-based work; and the coincidence of our accreditation report means there is ample data collection, analysis and writing that can be done online.  Likewise, the PT market is such that Eileen should be able to find clinical practice hours in St. Louis.

2. St. Louis is our second home.  (We did have to explain to the team at Barnes that our support of the Cincinnati Reds was non-negotiable, no matter where we are living). Between Eileen’s twin brother Michael and his wife Carrie, our Saint Louis University faculty and alumni friends, and our neighbors in Forest Park Southeast, we have a fantastic support network there.
 
3. Something feels right about transitioning our physical location and daily lives to coincide with this change in the phase of our medical care and our mental and spiritual focus toward transplant.

4. Being able to take our time to plan a move for our family feels like it gives us a measure of control in a situation with very little.  Instead of whisking off on a highly anxious, unscheduled drive or flight to St. Louis (and depending on traffic and weather to cooperate) when we get “the call,” we can plan this move on our terms and timeline.

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Our “best case” timeline for this process might look like this:
 
July 15-17, 2013
Visit St. Louis to find an apartment, pre-school and complete more pre-transplant testing, meetings and work-up. (Except in the most emergent of cases, it still takes at least six to eight weeks to officially be listed).

September 7, 2013

The Happy Couple: Katie & Mr. (W)right

Celebrate my sister Katie’s wedding to Andrew Wright.

Late September to Early October, 2013
Move to St. Louis.

Summer of 2014
Undergo lung transplant, post-transplant recovery, and rehab.

(The average wait time at Barnes is six to nine months. Given my lower lung allocation score, there is reason to believe my wait on the list could be longer than average, even upwards of two years or more. However, I also have a relatively easier stature, blood type and tissue type to match. Can one be faulted for a tiny bit of optimism?)

Fall of 2014
Return to Cincinnati and slowly transition back to our lives and work here.

Always and Forever After
Follow anti-rejection protocols including daily medications and regular follow-ups in St. Louis.

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One of the things about having a confirmed plan and tentative timeline for our transition is that we are better able to identify our specific needs - both practical (childcare, meals, yard work, house cleaning, packing, etc.) and financial (deductibles, travel, rent, utilities, etc.).

Knowing that many, many of you have asked (and asked and asked) what you can do for or with us, my stubborn, hard-headed, self-reliant, independent self has finally relented.

On the blog’s right side you will find one link to “Join Team Mosher” which takes you to our CaringbridgeSupportPlanner calendar with some initial volunteer requests for help this summer. 

There is also a link to “SupportTeam Mosher” financially through the online crowdfunding site YouCaring. (I would encourage you to visit our YouCaring site (by clicking on our family portrait rather than the “Give Now” button) to better understand our financial blessings and needs at this time.  I also feel obliged to offer this disclaimer that financial support through YouCaring is a personal gift to our family for medical and relocation expenses. It is NOT tax-deductible and IS subject to the IRS annual tax-free gift limit of $14,000. Please consult a tax professional with any questions). For those that prefer, gifts can also be made at U.S. Bank locations to the Peter D. Mosher & Eileen McGrath Mosher Revocable Trust Account.

Thanks for reading, helping with our to-do lists, and for your support in spirit, service, prayer, time, friendship, or financial accompaniment on this journey.