Don Jenkins has been diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis. The official medical definition says it is, "Many different things may cause damage to the lungs that results in pulmonary Fibrosis. Examples include long-term exposure to certain toxins, radiation therapy, some medicines, and certain medical conditions" that cause the disease.
Don Jenkins graduated from Big Sandy High School in 1979. He coached wrestling for 14 years and was the assistant football coach for 14 years. He also loved being the head coach for the Junior High football team here for seven years. He has been a MOA official for football for seven years and the Wrestling Head Coach for Shepard High School for four years.
September is Pulmonary Fibrosis month, and often, this kind of notice doesn't mean anything to me. However, knowing what Don is going through has made me understand what a devastating disease it is.
While I was in Billings for a family member's surgery, I visited with Don and Misty. Besides his inability to move from his bed without his oxygen levels falling dangerously low, he is in good spirits, except he is finding the bureaucracy difficult to understand. He can't go home because the oxygen he needs is not strong enough in home oxygen units. He can't go to a rehabilitation facility because he isn't sick enough; only his lungs are bad. His place of work is holding his job till sometime in October, but he can't get unemployment because he can still work and isn't searching for a job.
Relatives have started a GoFundMe page, which I repeat here because it explains it well: "As some of you may know, my brother-in-law Don was diagnosed with Interstitial Lung Disease, also known as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. This is a chronic lung disease that causes the lungs to scar, making it hard to breathe. The exact cause of IPF is unknown, but in Don's case, it is also called "Farmer's Lung." Nine years ago, just after Don and Misty moved to Billings, Don came down with a severe case of pneumonia that ended up putting him in the hospital for 10 days. Don had a lung biopsy that was sent to the Mayo Clinic to see what exactly was causing his recurring illness. At that point, he was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Pneumonia, or allergen-based pneumonia, which was the start of the scarring of his lungs and has progressed from there.
Fast forward, 28 days ago, Don was admitted into the Billings Clinic Hospital with a terrible case of pneumonia. The team of doctors on his case has agreed that his lungs will not recover to their full capacity, and he will remain on oxygen. It has been an uphill battle for Don and my sister Misty since he was hospitalized. Don continues to work extremely hard to get his lungs back to where he doesn't require such high amounts of oxygen as he did when he was admitted.
As Don is rehabbing in the hospital and working with a team of specialists, they are waiting/working to get him on a transplant list and seen by specialists to see if he qualifies for a double lung transplant. Don and Misty will be traveling to the University of Washington, where he will have this done and remain hospitalized. If Don qualifies for a transplant, Misty and Don will need to be out in Seattle for at least six months to be monitored after surgery to make sure his body does not reject his new lungs and to regulate his
medications. Once released to come home, he will do pulmonary rehab to build himself up again and regain his strength."
Misty, Don's wife, is juggling two jobs to make ends meet. She works at Skyview High School and Best Friends Animal Hospital. Her plea for additional prayers is a testament to the overwhelming challenges they face. The financial strain, coupled with the uncertainty of Don's condition, is a heavy burden for the family to bear.
Earlier, she had written: "Don was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis (scarring and hardening of the lungs) and asthma both a couple of years ago. As life has gone on, he has experienced more scarring, which has caused him to use supplemental oxygen at times when he exerts himself. Just recently, he has come down with pneumonia, which has made it virtually impossible for him to breathe when up and moving around, doing very little. His oxygen level has been dropping to 60%, and he wasn't recovering, which in turn was causing his lips, fingernails, etc., to turn blue and coughing non-stop. Needless to say, I got him to the ER just in time on Wednesday. He has a fantastic team of doctors working on him at the Billings Clinic Hospital, RNs that love to check on him so they can talk sports, and who knows who with him from the high-line and CNAs that talk volleyball with him and life in general. He is where he needs to be, and they will make him feel better. Protect your lungs, people; this is from years of farming without a mask, sprays, grain dust, and some hereditary. I can't begin to tell you how very awful it is to watch your loved one fight for air on a daily basis."
Please consider donating to his GoFundMe page, or contact them at their mailing address at 1835 Briarwood Blvd, Billings, Montana 59101
