Peach Ribbon
Peach Ribbon Symbolizes Alpha-1
Symbolizes Alpha-1

Welcome to Alpha 2 Alpha.  A resource of support and information for people that have Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency - a genetic disorder of the liver that manifests itself primarily in the lungs or liver.

Home

Page Down

Lung Survey:

Return to Work after Lung Transplant (part 1)

What is Alpha-1? Find out here.
Mailing Lists, Join for Support
Introductions: Alpha liver site
Photo Album: View and submit photos
Patient Stories: Alpha experiences
Find Local Alphas: Local support groups
Alpha Poll: Add your ideas
Memorials: Our angels
Links: Other resources
Make a Donation: For Alphas by Alphas
Questions and Answere: Get answers here
Contact Us: Let us hear from you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page Down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page Down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page Down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page Down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page Down

Note: Readers should always consult their physicians before taking any action (or inaction) which may affect their health or involve decision making.

That’s the question. . . . . Well the following folks who’d had a transplant took a survey given by JoAnne M. Schume, e-mail twoluckylungs@juno.com, who is a member of 2ndWind Lung Transplant Organization. She has allowed me to post these most interesting results to the Survey she administered to 2ndWind Lung Transplant Mailing List—copyright protected. Contact  Joanne Schum e-mail twoluckylungs@juno.com, for permission to copy in part or any of the following Survey.

Survey Results:

  1. Number of survey results returned total 93 (survey results do not include the 11 pre-transplant returns):
    Post-transplant: 82
    Pre-transplant: 11

  2. Number that returned to work or school: 47 (57%); number that did not return to work or school: 35 (43%).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Questions Asked

  1. What was the date of the transplant?
    Year
    88
    90
    91
    92
    93
    94
    95
    96
    97
    98
    99
    00
    Total
    Number
    1
    1
    5
    3
    4
    3
    3
    9
    9
    14
    13
    17
    82


  2. What type (e.g., single) of transplant did you have?
    Type
    Double
    Single
    Live
    Lobar
    Heart/
    Lung
    Single or Double
    Not Indicated
    All
    49
    (60)
    27
    (33)
    2
    (2)
    1
    (1)
    3
    (4)
    47 returned to work (%)
    32
    (68)
    13
    (28)
    1
    (2)
    1
    (2)
    35 didn’t return to work (%)
    14
    (40)
    17
    (49)
    1
    (2)
    3
    (9)


  3. What was your lung illness?
    Illness
    CF
    Alpha
    IPF
    Emphy
    PPH
    COPD
    LAM
    PulmF
    Bronch
    Sarc
    Eisen
    Eosin
    Sili
    Yngs
    Total
    (%)
    22
    (27)
    13
    (16)
    11
    (13)
    7
    (9)
    7
    (9)
    5
    (6)
    4
    (5)
    4
    (5)
    3
    (4)
    2
    (2)
    1
    (1)
    1
    (1)
    1
    (1)
    1
    (1)
    47 returned
    to work (%)
    18
    (38)
    5
    (11)
    5
    (11)
    1
    (2)
    4
    (9)
    2
    (4)
    3
    (6)
    3
    (7)
    1
    (2)
    2
    (4)
    1
    (2)
    1
    (2)
    0
    (0)
    1
    (2)
    35 didn’t
    return to
    work (%)
    3
    (9)
    8
    (23)
    6
    (17)
    6
    (17)
    3
    (9)
    3
    (9)
    2
    (6)
    1
    (2)
    2
    (6)
    0
    (0)
    0
    (0)
    0
    (0)
    1
    (2)
    0
    (0)


  4. What is your present age?
    Age
    Under 10
    10–19
    20–29
    30–39
    40–49
    50–59
    60–69
    Total (%)
    1
    (1)
    4
    (5)
    8
    (10)
    15
    (18)
    22
    (27)
    25
    (30)
    7
    (9)
    47 returned to work (%)
    n/a
    3
    (6)
    8
    (17)
    12
    (26)
    10
    (21)
    13
    (28)
    1
    (2)
    35 didn’t return to work (%)
    1
    (3)
    1
    (3)
    3
    (9)
    12
    (34)
    12
    (34)
    6
    (17)


  5. How many months after your transplant, did you return to work or school?
    Months
    0
    1–6
    7–12
    13–18
    24
    30
    72
    Returned  
    22
    19
    8
    2
    1
    1
    Didn’t return
    35
               
    School
    4 (varied months)


  6. How many hours a week do you work or attend school?
    Hours
    6 or less
    7–19
    20
    21–25
    30–39
    40
    40 plus
    Work
    2
    4
    4
    4
    3
    15
    7
    Shift work
    1
    (three 12- hour shifts)
    Didn’t return
    35
    Volunteer
    3
    School
    4 (3–29)


  7. If presently working, what field of work?
    Field
    Number
    Office/Secretary/Library/Data Entry/CPA/Investment
    11     
    Sales
    8     
    Medical/Nurse/Radiologist
    5     
    Fund Raising/Vocational Rehab/Educational Research/Public Relations
    4     
    Student
    4     
    Government
    3     
    Computer Software
    3     
    Teach/Music to Senior Citizens/Kindergarten Teacher
    3     
    Volunteer
    2     
    Work at Home
    1     
    Massage Therapy
    1     
    Aerospace
    1     
    Semi Truck Driver - Corvette Parts
    1     
    Total
    47     


  8. If you are in school, what grade or college level?
    Level
    N/A
    College
    Home School
    11th Grade
    Number
    78
    2
    1
    1


  9. Does your work involve any exposure to the public?
    Number not returned to work:
     
    Yes
    No
    Other Employees only
    Don’t Work
    Exposure
    35
    6
    6
    35
    Comment: “Lots of exposure, especially the ‘little public.’”

  10. If so, approximately what percentage is with the public?
    Number not returned to work: 35
    Percent
    100
    95
    85
    80
    70
    60
    50
    40
    30
    25
    20
    15
    10
    5
    Returned
    8
    1
    2
    3
    3
    1
    8
    2
    2
    2
    5
    2
    2
    6
    Didn’t Return
    35


  11. Please list any infections or health problems you have experienced since returning to work (this list of infections includes all 82 respondents answers)
    Category
    All Respondents
    Those Working
    Those not Working
    No infections/health problems (%)
    28 (34)
    15 (32)
    21 (60)

    Infections/health problems (%)—types listed below:

    54 (66)
    32 (68)
    14 (40)

         Mild Infection/odd colds/sinus infections

    32 (60)

         CMV/Pseudomonas/Aspergillous/RSV/Pneumonia/Rejection/BOS

    16 (30)

         Muscle Problems

    1 (1.5)

         Renal

    1 (1.5)

         Stomach Virus/GI

    4 (7.0)


  12. What type of precautions do you take at work, school, or home to protect yourself from those persons who may be contagious (e.g., masks, washing hands and so forth)? (This question you had the choice of listing as many precautions you wanted to, so the total number does not equal 82.)
    Precaution
    Number
    Wash Hands Frequently
    5     
    Watch/Listen/Avoid Sick People
    22     
    No Answer
    18     
    Purell type hand Sanitizers
    29     
    Avoid Areas with Many People
    4     
    Mask when Needed—hospital, airplane
    16     
    Wipe Surfaces with Antibacterial Product
    8     
    No Food or Drink Sharing
    5     
    Avoid Touching Public Surfaces (door knobs, handles, rails, elevator buttons, community microwave, coffee urns, refrigerator, pens, pencils)
    5     
    Not Touch Face or Eyes
    4     
    Common Sense
    4     
    Lysol Spray
    3     
    Avoid Personal Contact with Public
    2     
    Sit at Edge of Classroom
    1     
    Use Surgical Gloves when Needed
    1     
    HEPA Filter
    1     
    Keep Hydrated
    1     
    Avoid Smoke
    1     
    Gargle to Keep Mouth Free of Germs
    1     
    Have Others Wash Hands Frequently
    1     
    Open Windows
    1     


  13. What are the reasons for returning to work (financial, health insurance coverage, and so forth)? (This question allowed for listing all the reasons, so there are more than 47 replies.)
    Reason
    Number
    Enjoyment
    31     
    Financial
    28     
    Keep Mind/Body Busy
    22     
    Insurance
    19     
    Family Business
    1     
    Want to help others
    8     
    Productivity
    1     
    Socialization
    7     
    Return this gift some way
    4     
    Self-esteem
    1     
    School be with others same age
    1     
    Achieve Goals
    4     
    Ambitious
    1     
    No Answer
    29     
    Comments:
    “Like sense of belonging, too many years on the couch”; “Keep brain alive . . . instead of isolated at home”; “Purpose in life”; “Enjoy feeling part of the world”; “It’s important to live your life dream”;
    “My passion”; “Always wanted to be a doctor and experience life on my own.”

  14. With your present work or school, are you able to exercise regularly on a daily or weekly basis?
    Those 47 who have returned to work responded: Yes = 39 (83%); No = 8 (17%)
    Those 35 who did not return to work: Yes = 16 (49%); No = 0 (0%); No Answer = 19 (51%)
     
    Daily
    5x a week
    3x a week
    2x a week
    Weekly
    Some
    Not Much
    Not as much
    as I should
    No Answer
    Working
    Total 47 (%)
    4
    (9)
    6
    (12)
    6
    (12)
    3
    (6)
    2
    (4)
    2
    (4)
    1
    (2)
    5
    (11)
    18
    (38)
    Not Working
    Total 35 (%)
    5
    (14)
    2
    (6)
    4
    (11)
    1
    (3)
    2
    (6)
    19
    (51%)
    Note: Two of those not working, but who exercised, didn’t specify an ammount.
    Comments:
    “Not as much as I should, job prevents me from working out”; “Too tired”; “I could, but I don’t”; “Working full time, too tired for exercise”; “Gotten more difficult since returning to work.”

  15. If you were to begin catching infections frequently, would you consider cutting back hours, changing your field of work, or quitting? (This question was answered by both those that have returned to work and those who have not.)

     
    Yes
    No
    Don’t Know
    No Answer
    More Careful
    Cut Hours
    Number (%)
    40 (49)
    12 (15)
    4 (5)
    18 (21)
    4 (5)
    4 (5)
    Comments:
    “Never quit, change field”; “I would stop anything that threatened my health”; “I would consider my health first”; “My health is priority”; “Yes, quit reluctantly”; “I look at my health as the most important thing in my life”; “No, I couldn’t, have to work.”

Top

Part 2

Updated May 16, 2005

Alpha2Alpha Copyright
Copyright 1999–2008 by alpha2alpha.org. All rights reserved.
To report site problems, contact the Webmaster


info | e-lists | introductions | chat | photos | stories | local alphas | guestbook |
poll | memorials | links | donate | q & a | contact us | webmaster | home | yahoo!