Max Haggerty Website

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Updated:
May 21, 202007
June 17, 2007
Aug 16, 2007
Aug 22, 2007

Journal article
reprint
Aug 19, 2007

This site was created to solicit your help to support the costs of care for Homer native Max Haggerty, who recently underwent a lung transplant operation at the University of Washington's Thoracic Surgery Department in Seattle. As of this writing in late August, Max has returned to Eugene, Oregon, where he is in the process of reentering his "normal" life. Mako has returned to Alaska and Alice is busy fixing up a new place in Eugene where she plans to stay for the forseeable future.

Information about how you can contribute can be found at the bottom of this column. Thank you for your concern and attention.

BTW, Max is available by e-mail now. And he has a new
e-mail address which is:
play2themax@gmail.com

Since early June, we've been in contact with the middle person between us (the donor recipient) and the donor's family. After signing all formal documentation for contact between our family and the donor family we've made contact with them. My donor was a 17 year old male, named Matt from Deer Park, Eastern Washington. His father, Gary was working in Seattle when I was still up there, and we got to meet him on the 21st. I also have talked with his mother, Linda and Matt's younger sister Carly, who is in High School. It was incredible to meet the donor family so early, it's very rare to meet so soon, but both parties were ready for it and Gary was conveniently working in Seattle at the time. He told stories of Matt, the family and the community of Deer Park. It's a little awkward meeting the father whose son was lost in order to save my life. Gary and Linda have been lifelong supporters of organ donation and when a truly unimaginable circumstance became their reality, they made an opportune decision giving myself and several others a second chance at life. And listening about Matt's dedication to fitness and passion for football, I couldn't have asked for a better set of lungs. And I know that his lungs couldn't have been put in a better body. I'm hoping to make a trip up in August or September to see their place in Deer Park.

As posted on the website earlier I was freed on Independence Day. What a coincidence. I'm so happy to be back in Oregon. I haven't really slowed since I got here a month ago. I've seen a lot of family and friends since being back and we've all had a great time. I can't remember a month in my entire life when I have been so active. I've done everything from walking lots, lifting weights, swimming, kayaking, playing frisbee, basketball, tennis, golf and thrown the football around. And to top that off, I'm preparing for a half marathon walk in Seattle in late November with Team Transplant. I'm not slowing down. I've gained about a pound a week since coming home and am close to 165 pounds. Watch out Lance you're going to be the little bro soon...well, maybe after a year or so.

There hasn't been much medically, although a couple of things have come up lately. I had to lower my dose of prograf and myfortic, which is one of the anti-rejection meds I'm taking. Also my white blood cell count was getting lower and lower until it fell below the minimum level of 1.5 (not sure exactly what 1.5 is a measurement of) to 1.0, so I got two white blood cell injections in consecutive days. Also my feeding tube was removed finally, so I am officially freeeeeeeee. My next appointment is Monday the 6th, and more tests will be taken to see how my lungs are holding up, but from all I can tell, they're doing great.

There was a publication in the UW medicine summer '07 magazine that had a story about transplantation and I was quoted several times in it. I will try to scan that and make it available to the website within the next week. A lot of people have asked if I've gotten taller. I actually did grow a quarter inch since the transplant, but I look a lot taller because I'm able to have better posture. It was hard to stand up straight because of all the pressure that was on my lungs before. Also I've been asked a lot if I am headed back to school this fall—just to clear everything up—Hell No.

I miss and think of Homer all the time, but in the meantime I'll be breathing this Oregon air until I see you all next,
Max

Happy Solstice Everyone,
I’m so excited, summer is finally HERE! And the best part is I could be heading home within a week. Over the last month there has been a lot of excitement around here. My mom’s dad drove up from Oregon for a couple days to play Pinochle and Mexican Train with us. Grandpa also dropped off my new car while up here, which was a huge surprise. It was given to me by the family for whom I’d like to thank: Grandpa, Karen, Yvette, Yvonne, Mary Ann, Kris, Jim and of course my mother. Also I’d like to thank Darcy for having really good taste in vehicles and for taking care of hers. It’s a really sporty Honda Civic Si hatchback.

We celebrated my dad’s birthday earlier this month. His parents came all the way from Tucson to help celebrate with us. Lance, his girlfriend and Tuli were able to make the trip as well. We had a great time with a hilarious cake surprise from Amy, who sent two Bernese Mountain Dogs over here to deliver it. When it was delivered, one third of it was eaten by the dogs, which snuck some bites while their owner went into the store briefly.

Earlier, I met my cousin Nicole and her husband Nate for a Mariners game at Safeco Field. It was awesome, probably one of the best baseball games any person could attend. I’ve been watching baseball my whole life and I’ve never seen so many unusual plays in the same game. The highlight was probably the squeeze play the Mariners converted toward an 11-6 victory over the Rangers. Thanks to my Aunt Mary Ann we sat third row from the third base line next to the visitor’s dugout.

I got a cold, a couple weeks ago that lasted about a week. For that period I was pretty low energy. With new lungs though, it’s harder to tell if you’re sick, because the nerves and feelings take time to come back, or they don’t. The only way I was able to tell that I had a cold was I kept sneezing all of a sudden. I didn’t feel any different otherwise; except for at the end of the cold or flu I was drained of energy. That could have been due to all the customers we’ve had around here too. Adjusting to these new lungs has been interesting. When I first felt the urge to sneeze, I couldn’t coordinate it, my body wanted to sneeze but I had little feeling of this function with my new lungs. Well practice makes perfect, I’m now able to sneeze again. It’s weird though, I have to relearn a lot of easy tasks. It took a while for me to drink properly too. This idea of breathing and drinking at the same time is kind of new to me. Same goes for eating, which explains the spectacular manners I’ve had in the past, right Em?

I’ve had to deal with a bad foot for the last three to four weeks. At first I thought it was strained or sore and it would heel within a couple days, but it kept lingering. After a couple blocks of walking it would start preventing me from getting as much activity as I wanted. After taking several days off of not walking and it still hadn’t gone away I started getting frustrated. I’ve never had any foot problems in my life, so this has been a mystery. I was inactive for a good period of time before transplant, but not enough to throw my foot out of whack. It could have been the weight gain or the new kicks (shoes for all those non-slang speakers), but I’m not totally sure. I’ve come to the conclusion that I might have plantar fasciatis, which usually takes months to heel. Not looking good in that respect. I’m trying to improve the healing as much as possible in the mean time by getting massage, acupuncture and I started swimming this week. It has been wonderful to get in the water, I can’t remember the last time I went swimming, I think 4 or 5 years ago. So many options that were lost over the last couple years are coming back and I can’t ask for anything more.

Oregon, I’ll be there soon,
Max

Hello again everyone. I've been busy enjoying these new lungs; I forgot how long it's been since I updated my situation. Other than the Suns getting ousted by the Spurs, everything has been going well down here. For the first two weeks I was home outside the hospital, my weight slowly declined and my lung function wasn't improving. I was very concerned, knowing something had to be off. I was consuming on average 3500-4500 calories a day, which is enough to gain weight, even for my ridiculous metabolism. From this I knew it was not because I wasn't getting enough food intake.

Turns out I have diabetes. Not sure what form, however this wasn't a total shock. Before the transplant I had been tested for my glucose tolerance and was just below the cusp for diabetes. Often with the medication people take right after transplant (those dang steroids), blood sugars get out of whack and the patient will need to manage diabetes, if at least temporarily. I was forewarned of this obstacle. When I made it four weeks out, I figured I had been lucky enough to get by without dealing with diabetes. Nope. I was very eager to gain weight and see my lung function increase, so figuring the problem was found I wanted it solved. So I began taking insulin to regulate my blood sugars. It's been a little difficult getting used to and finding the right amount of insulin to balance with what food I consume, but every day it gets better. The best part is my insulin level is already coming down. There is a high likelihood that this diabetes I have is temporary and once my steroid levels subside to their lowest baseline I should be free from blood sugar management. I can only hope. My weight has gone up almost 10 pounds in the last two weeks. My cheeks are getting fatter; right now they're puffy like I just got my wisdom teeth pulled. I'll admit I'm pretty funny looking right now (I'm assuming I wasn't funny looking before—which is up for interpretation and debate). As for my lung function, it started going up again too.

I've been walking as much as possible. My legs get tired before my lungs do and I don't cough anymore. Things are a little different around here.

Amy is down from Alaska visiting and eager to learn about my situation to better understand her nursing career moving forward. She knows a lot though and has done a great job of learning about transplantation during my experience. Over the last week I've been able to see Dave Bell several times down here too. He's preparing to leave on his boat here in the next week. My roommate Tuli was able to make it up with his buddy Gabe this weekend and we had a great time. Dave came over one night while they were here and he took us all to school for a game of Boggle. Next time I'll try to write down words that actually exist, I found by watching others that really helps, especially if you want to win.

To life,
Max

I got 2 of my final 3 chest tubes removed Tuesday along with my PICC line as I was on my way home. YEAH!!! My car ride home exhausted me, but I was already in some pain and low energy as I left the hospital. I took a long 4-hour nap as soon as I got home and nestled into my new couch. I woke up with so much energy around 10 pm and felt amazing. It also felt so great to be home. I only slept for about 5 hours that night in my new bed. That has been typical though, because I've been in so much pain that I have to keep moving my body so I don't focus on it. Another plus is my lungs don't feel like crap when I wake up anymore, it's refreshing waking up and immediately having energy and breathing with ease. That is something I've never had.

The next morning I started taking care of some business and catch back up with things that I've missed the last couple of weeks, paying bills, rent, setting up internet, you know the usual. I just felt amazing all day and I was on such a high being happy, healthy and home. Also, my appetite has been ridiculous. My whole life I've struggled with eating and having an appetite. Those who know me know this. My, how things have changed. I'm always hungry and when I eat I scarf down food. It's totally disgusting and rude but I'm making up for lost time. This is in part due to my lungs not feeling like crap and also taking the steroids that suppress my immune system increase my appetite. I've never seen my parents be so stoked to cook food for me before though, because now they know I'll eat all of it and I won't waste any like I have so much in the past.

Max enjoys a meal!

The next morning, I felt a little more tightness in my chest and started wheezing a little more when I took a breath. They sent me home the night before with a small pneumothorax in my upper right lung. A pneumothorax is a little air pocket between my lung and chest wall that could possibly collapse a lung or, hopefully, get reabsorbed completely by my lung tissue. It was the general consensus that since it was such a small pocket of air that it would be reabsorbed. Symptoms of a pneumothorax are really hard to determine at this point, because I already have a lot of discomfort and pressure in my chest. So I came to the hospital to get some x-rays fearing that more air was leaking outside my new lung. A week had gone by since the operation and none of the air had been reabsorbed, so they decided to go along with another pig-tail catheter procedure to rid the problem once and for all. It worked almost immediately. I was very pleased to know that, and to know this would no longer be of concern. Right now I do have 2 catheters in my upper chest on either side of my sternum. One definitely, maybe both will be removed this Monday. I'm crossing my fingers in hopes they rid me of all transplant accessories. They kept me in the hospital that night for monitoring and then sent me home Friday afternoon.

Hopefully that's the last night I spend in the hospital for CF or transplant. That is so weird to think. I've spent my whole life in and out of hospitals, knowing that I may never spend another night in one is pretty incredible. We'll see. I better go knock on some wood right now. I'll still have lots of testing of sorts, but most of the procedures can be done as an outpatient and then I can be sent home, at least that's my understanding and hope.

These first 6 months are very critical though, so I won't get too carried away. The reason these first 6 months are so critical, is that usually by the six month mark, my immunosuppressant drugs will be at a low for maintenance and my immune system will be the strongest it can be from there on out. I'm at a very high risk for colds and infections now, but will always be at a higher risk than everyone else for the rest of my life. It's a tradeoff I'm happy to make. So I'm happy, healthy, hungry and home.

Take care and so will I,
Max

Photo Page( newer photos are on top)

It's been quite a ride so far and now I have a new set of lungs. I am excited and thrilled emotionally and exhausted physically with a TON of discomfort and pain. I still have three chest tubes inside my chest cavity to hold my new lungs in place until they heal and inflate fully and properly. They should be gone soon, but until they are I am tethered to several short leashes of tubes and IVs and my chest pain will continue. I still haven't taken that all elusive first unencumbered breath, but that time is coming closer. What I mean by that is my first breath without tubes in my chest, which is the cause for most of all my pain and discomfort right now.

I had a lot of tubes, IVs and catheters in my body right after the transplant. They keep dwindling down, but getting rid of them all will be the final stage that sends me home out of the hospital. Right after surgery I was on oxygen through my nose, I had 3 tubes in my mouth, 3 IVs in my neck, 1 PICC line in my left arm, 1 arterial catheter in right arm, an IV near my groin, a bladder catheter, 4 chest tubes (which are the most painful) and an epidural catheter in my spine. I had two chest tubes removed but then they added a smaller chest catheter to isolate some air pockets. Now I have 3 chest tubes, a PICC line in my left arm and the epidural catheter in my back. I've been monitored by a heart EKG with 5 leads spread out on my chest this whole time as well, just adding to the leashes, confusion and thus very little chest surface area. I have considerably less leashes now Thank God, but soon I'll have none, Awesome.

I can't say enough about everyone involved with the donor and transplant team here at the University of Washington. Donating organs and transplantation is a very new science, especially with lungs. The numbers and success rates are getting better every year and this center is amongst the national leaders. There are so many uncertainties but knowing I have the best of the best behind me gives me a confidence and tranquility desperately needed.

Although my new life has started, someone lost theirs to save mine. I will never forget or disrespect this. It's so hard to see someone here one second and gone the next, but for the donor family to give an ounce of consideration to offer their loved one's organs to aid and save the lives of myself and others is remarkable. I have the utmost respect for those who are able to make this decision during grief circumstances. To my donor's family and everyone who has helped me through up until this point, you're in my heart and now new lungs.
Love you all,
Max

Photo Page

Apr 12 Article about Max in Homer News
Apr 11 Article about Max in Homer Tribune

As most of you know I am listed for a double lung transplant at the University of Washington in Seattle…Go Ducks! Although this is a hard time for me and my family I am so excited for what my new future will hold. Every day I dream of breathing without pain or concern. I am thankful a lung transplant operation exists and that the committed staff at the University of Washington are there to help. To have an opportunity for a life of normalcy and good health is all I've ever wanted. The transplant will give me that opportunity. I want to thank everyone for the amazing donations, thoughts and prayers. I am blessed to have such an incredible family and community behind me for this operation. I am costantly reminded of this quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Max

Max with support gear - Portland, Jan 2007

Many of you know Max as an ardent sports enthusiast. He plays basketball and tennis but is also a follower of football and baseball. Favorite basketball teams are the University of Oregon Ducks (of course), along with the Phoenix Suns in the NBA, the Atlanta Braves baseball organization, and the Oakland Raiders football team.
Max played tennis in his senior year of high school, which he attended in Albany, Oregon. Part of the reason he attended school there is so he could live with relatives and be nearer to the expert health care he has always depended upon to treat his cystic fibrosis, a lifelong health challenge that has recently put him in the desparate situation of needing this lung transplant to sustain life.

I have received a few new photos from Max recently, and a copy of a U.W. medical journal article about transplants that he thought would be good to post. They can be reached from the links at left. The news is still good and from what I hear Max has gone back to playing basketball and tennis now and again. I'm going to be visiting with Tuli and Max next month so I'll have a first-hand report of how our young friend is doing. In the meantime, stay tuned to these pages for news and more photos.
Click here for a version of the U.W. Medical Center article, complete with photos. Note that after a time, the Summer 2007 issue, in which the article appears, will move to the "archives" link near the UW Medicine area on this page.

Free at last! And what could be better news on Independence Day than Max's independence from Seattle and the constant monitoring he's been experiencing since the transplant. All signs are good, so good that now he's out and about, on the loose, free as a bird, letting his free flag fly. The Haggertys are headed back to Eugene to return to a more normal life as Max looks ahead to rebuilding his body after a long period of enforced inactivity. Stay tuned to this spot for more news and information. But the BIG NEWS is that MAX IS FREE at last!

We have been receiving family guests this past week; grand/parents from both sides, Lance showed up with freshly caught and smoked king salmon (yeah, that's my Alaskan boy) and Tuli our life-long family friend (he is my third son). We have been celebrating Mako's birthday and the blessing of our time TOGETHER. We are all game players here at Camp Haggerty Seattle and joining for games of pinochle, scrabble, boggle, and dominos have been part of our recent agenda.

My family's representative Vern Kolen (my dad, Max's Grandpa) came dangling health carrots, a little Honda hatchback, from my family to those on the mend. This black beauty is named by my father, “Max-well” or “Maxwell”. Due to the surgery's sternum cut called the clam shovel (as an avid clammer this is extremely meaningful) and subsequent wiring and healing time, Max is unable to drive for 2 months minimum. How meaningful to have a constant reminder of the unconditional bonds of love, family, and community and the endless lengths they will go to for those in need!!!

Max & grandpa sitting in "Maxwell"

Life is a delicate, humble place for this mother of a donor recipient. Before Max's lung transplant he was very sick and had been for several years. This life-saving-organ-donation from Max's Donor Family was the only way to extend his life and ANY possibility for a quality of life lost years ago. My heart is with Max's donor family. We have very little information about Max's donor at this time as all donors' and their recipient's information is strictly confidential. I think and wonder about them often and my prayers are with their family and community. It is only natural that when I look at Max, I think of them and their generosity of spirit.

We are possibly near the end of our three-month Seattle stay. In clinic on June 26th we have been promised an exit strategy. All of this is contingent on Max's health.

I have much more to say but it will have to wait for next time. See the Photos page for more pictures...

Alice

Several adjustments have been made since the last posting. Max has started insulin and regular blood sugar monitoring as of a couple weeks ago. This was anticipated and expected as part of post-transplant life. Normally this news might sound worrisome, not so for the highly motivated lung-transplantee. Max was consuming 3,500-4,600 calories per day and still losing weight! Finally a high blood sugar level was discovered at one of his clinic visit at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC). High dosages and prolonged use of steroids have an insulin blocking affect causing weight loss. The addition of insulin into Max's medical regime brought the rapid weight gain we were anticipating.

No clue as to whether or not this administration is forever. Prednisone is a much-needed anti-rejection steroid drug to sustain post-transplant life yet the most likely contributing insulin blocker. Max's dosage is on a scheduled weaning. The extra effort gains in Max's quality of life and he makes zero complaints.

Max looks great. He has energy that he has never before enjoyed. This period of time together is a joy and a blessing.

See our Photos page for group photos of Max with other Cystic Fibrosis (CF) young adults that all recently received double-lung-transplants with surgeon Dr. Michael Mulligan. This group of kids were all transplanted within a month of each other. Several more CF patients received life-saving transplants and a total of nine CF adults in 2007 so far. This is a concentrated young population confronting many of the same challenges and sharing for them seems comforting. We are socially gathering with these families and find a sense of home with them in this unusual life journey.

Best regards,

Alice

Max will have regular Monday UWMC lung transplant clinic visits for several more weeks. This team will continue to scrutinize his health picture until it develops a more predictable and measurable rhythm and is free of complications. The appointment on April 30th was a good exchange of information and science, and clinic professionals were once again impressed with Max's overall progress. Close monitoring warranted further investigation for another midweek liver panel and blood sugar level, but Thursday's blood draw confirmed healthy and normal- Yeah!

Another issue on the radar screen is Max's weight gain. He is eating lots but not gaining the weight we would expect. We believe this is enzyme-related and that he hasn't increased his dosage enough to cover the extra calories he is now capable of consuming. Since Monday he has increased his enzymes, which has prompted an incremental weight gain. In addition, he started a calorie count for his nutritionist, Kathy.

The most exciting part of Monday's clinic was Max's Pulmonary Function Test (PFT), which measures the vital capacity of his new lungs. On 02/05/07 he was at 20% vital capacity and today it was 63%!!! Oh my gawd, that warmed many hearts. Dr. Edelman's comment was, “These are numbers well above what we would hope to see at this point in Max's recovery.” Since I watch this doctor's every non-verbal gesture, I took this as a very good sign.

Thanks to strong community kinship and its many blessings, we have been able to cooperatively formulate our best efforts for Max's healthcare and beyond. There are many tiers of helpers, friends, family, and professionals supporting Max, Lance and my family. For an extended period, Mako and I have been unable to work our normal occupations, but thanks to everyone's empathy, understanding and financial support we are well nurtured. Thank you all-

One of Max's first post-transplant personal dreams was to travel back to his hometown: Homer, Alaska. Max, Mako and I dearly miss Homer and are pleased that Lance is able to be there. We have rediscovered that you may journey from Homer but Homer is always with you. The UWMC lung transplant clinic professionals said Max will be free to travel 6 - 12 months post-transplant.

Our address in Seattle:

Camp Haggerty Seattle
12222 11th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98177-4314

Keep in touch and love to all-

Alice

Posted May 1st, 2007 by Amy Christiansen

As I head down to the lower 48 to FINALLY see Mako, Max, and Alice, I plan to wear a mask on the plane, so as not to pick up any germs that might make Max sick. This might be a good idea for anyone heading that direction.

Thank you HOMER ALASKA, for getting behind this transplant with all your powerful hearts and minds. I still get teary eyed when any of you ask me, "How's Max?", even when I smile, and reply, "HE'S DOING GREAT!"
I am so proud to be part of this great warm, supportive, and loving community! The outpouring of you people has been, simply incredible.

Thank you again... With Love, Amy Christiansen

Max had his first University of Washington's Medical Center (UWMC) Lung Transplant Clinic appointment on Monday—hospitals are a necessary part of our reality, however, not exactly stress free— Max is required to wear a mask certainly in these places full of exotic germs, fungus, and bacteria and in most public locations too. Remember an immuno-suppressed person milling around the hospital halls is a concern in our minds and that of the professional wisdom as well. And visiting one department after another makes for a busy day.

Our day started early with a 7:30 a.m. appointment in Radiology for a CT scan and chest X-rays. Then to the lab for Max's blood draw to monitor a multitude of issues from blood counts to medication levels. Next was the lung transplant clinic visit with all the professionals tracking his progress. Folks here in this clinic are delightful, professional and upbeat and excited to see you. Wow! All seemed refreshed by Max's progress and just how darn good he looks—many current questions and concerns are addressed at this time.

After a quick trip thru the clinic, it was off to the last visit of the day with his surgeon Dr. Mulligan. He too was a lot of smiles towards Max and seemed particularly pleased with his handiwork. Dr. Mulligan made the decision to pull Max's remaining pigtail catheters, which meant ……….. freedom! Max was pumped about this and that made for an excellent ending to our rather exhausting and long half day. Max was nothin' but tired after all that and needed a refresher nap. He was good as new after that.

Max understands that good health requires a close relationship with his UWMC lung transplant health care team (And there's a lot of them), good communication, and close monitoring. Max performs vital statistics twice daily that includes weight, blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and spirometry, which is a lung function measurment, and for those savvy with medical lingo, FEV1 and FVC. A decrease of the lung function by 10% or more would be our single best clue of the signs and symptoms of early rejection- Keep in mind 50% of transplant recipients do not reject and we pray Max is one of those fortunates.

Everyone who has recently witnessed Max at his two and a half WEEK mark is astounded- We have enjoyed recent visits from family and friends and this contact is important to us. A sensitive issue for those visiting or considering a visit is that we cannot see folks that are sick- Many of you know this already but, at the expense of being repetitive, I feel it is important to express how very critical it is to Max's continued health.

Max wants to play cards…………..

Alice

Max's heart has had an atrial flutter for the past couple of days, and his heart rate was bouncing and spiking. Thanks to modern medicine the situation was controlled, and now fixed. This seems to be somewhat expected, although, nerve racking—the staff had been warning us this might happen. However, today he went for a cardio version procedure that gave the results they wanted— a heart rate that is back on track.

Speaking of which, Max has an appetite these days!!! This is a new side effect of the steroids he takes. And I have to say I love it. Max has never had a good appetite, but now he wants to eat food frequently—We are
working the campus looking for all the food hotspots.

Those chest tubes Max refers to are something. (!*&%*+*#@*&%!) Each is 3/4 of an inch thick, ridged, and 12 inches deep within each side of his chest. They are left in for several reasons, most importantly for post-transplant fluid and air drainage which would otherwise place unwanted pressure on his new lungs. That flow has stopped which means they are soon to be removed. That will make a huge difference in Max's mobility, comfort, and need for the pain meds. Today Max got one of these removed, and then was able to do lots of walking.

Our cousin Shelley was with us helping this weekend. Thanks Shelley it is always great to have your love around. We have met up with other loving cousins from the Kenny side (my mom's sister's kids)—Max loved meeting Sue and her son. We have seen Tom and Bridgette too whom have been very open armed as well-

My sister Karen, bless her heart, stood by our side all Easter weekend keeping Max and our spirits lifted and loved during the immediate pre-surgery, surgery, and post-surgery process- It was an intimate experience we will all hold dear- I love you Karen- Mako and I were happy You were with us! Max lived with Karen for a year so they have an incredible bond and love for poker, fun, activity, sports and are U of O faithfuls, Go Ducks!

Mako, Lance and I have been working on setting up our new digs for Max's release. He can't wait for the fast get-a-way and to escape the hospital institution for the comforts of a home environment away from cords, tubes and monitors.... We found a supportive person to rent from that has worked hard to place us in a timely and comfortable way with new bedding, towels, refrigerator and kitchen supplies.

It is a joy to hear from all of you and get your life updates as well- We appreciate entertainment, and enjoy the reciprocal nature of life-

Blessings, Alice

Max and all of us are certainly relieved and thrilled that the transplant operation is behind us, oh whewwwwwwww! We can now focus and concentrate our energies on the education phase for lung transplantation care and the many signs and symptoms to be watchful of for Max. Nurturing his healing is critical to attaining the upward growth for his new lung's vital capacity and future quality of life—as early as three months out we would expect to see Max start approaching the bulk of his new lung function peak scores if all goes well and no complications arise.

Today Max is doing very well—he is a post-transplant-recovery star here at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC). While he is healing he is alert, visiting, happy, watching TV, talking politics, moving from bed to chair, then up for walks around the hospital hallways, and participating in a lot of personalized post-transplant care education courses. All of this progress is astounding to each member of the Camp Haggerty Seattle group.

This transformation may be hard to fathom without knowing the highly trained professionals of the UWMC who are attending, managing and implementing this experience. After meeting the entire Lung Transplant team including the surgeon during the pre-transplant phase in December, I actually felt relief in that it was apparent to us we were with an extraordinary special group. Our timing and placement with them has given me a feeling of divine intervention. Faith gave me hope and I needed both.

It is always interesting when the mind back flips from one extreme to another during a metamorphosis experience, but I have to convey to you that it is the love, support, hard work, good intentions and prayers coming our way that have held our spirits firm. And these grounding stones of community and togetherness have made this incredibly stressful period an experience of blessings. I can't thank enough our hometown of Homer, our many new and ancient friends (you're the best), our dear families, and all of Max's healthcare professionals that over the past years guided him and us to this place of hope for a new day and the dawn of a new life…

Alice

More good news from Seattle. Max is due to leave the ICU soon and may already be out in the regular ward by now. He's been having visitors and is slowly gathering strength. Mako was interviewed via telephone on Monday by Mike Mason for KBBI, our local National Public Radio affiliate. Below is a link to that interview. Mako discusses how Max is doing and how the family is reacting to the successful transplant. It begins with Mako responding to a question about whether Max knows the identity of the donor: Interview Apr 9, 2007

The news from Seattle is all good. Mako told me today that, "Yesterday, Max took his first breath using his new lungs." He's experiencing quite a bit of pain during breathing. This was not unexpected; it is a normal result of the process of having your chest opened surgically. Max has been through quite an ordeal in the past few days but even this phase will pass as Max gains strength and his incisions heal. The family is staying in a hotel for the moment and are expecting Lance and Tuli to arrive for their first visit with brother and best friend and to share with him in beginning this "new season" of life.

Max is almost ready to come off the ventilator he's been on since his transplant surgery. All the signs are enormously good and his family is positively elated at the prospect of having Max up and on his feet soon. The surgery went extremely well and the lungs he received were, in the words of chief surgeon Dr. Michael Mulligan, "the best pair of lungs we could've hoped for." Max's transplant was the 20th performed so far this year by the University of Washington's Thoracic Surgery Unit in Seattle.

Max got the call at 6 pm on Good Friday. By the time they got to the hospital in Seattle, after two ambulance rides and one in a jet airplane, it was 10 pm. Alice and Max's aunt Karen drove up from Eugene and arrived at around midnight, where they settled in for what turned out to be quite a long wait. He finally went into surgery at about 7 am on Saturday. Everyone expected things to happen very quickly once they had been summoned to Seattle but that turned out not to be the case this time. We can only speculate on what circumstances might have delayed the start of the operation—perhaps something to do with the donor's situation, perhaps not. At any rate, the operation lasted approximately 6 hours and went off without a hitch.

We don't know the donor's name, likely never will, and know virtually nothing about the nature of the event that culminated in Max's getting his near perfect lungs. We do know that the donor was 17 years old and that many of his organs—his heart , his liver, and lungs—were used to prolong or save the lives of others in need of them. Surely, being an organ donor is one way to literally bestow the gift of life on other people and must go down as one of the highest possible uses for one's physical body after death.

There will be other milestones to pass as the days since the operation turn into weeks and the weeks into months. The Haggertys must now look for a place to stay in Seattle for the coming months as Max and his body cope with the rejection process. While the lungs he now has are healthy in all respects, they are foreign to Max's body and it will do everything it can to reject them. Hopefully, Max's indomitable spirit and the most advanced anti-rejection medicines available will win that fight.

Certain of Max's friends are eagerly awaiting the day when Max can play basketball and tennis again. Mako once said that Max is an athlete in his mind, but his body hadn't lived up to its side of the bargain. Now, keeping in mind Max's simple wish for "a life of normalcy and good health" as stated in his letter above, we can emphatically say that these desires have never been closer to realization than they are today.

Good going Max, and Good Luck!

Max got the call he's been waiting for last night. We don't have any details yet, but Amy called to let us know he was medi-vac'd to Seattle with Mako last night. Please send your most positive thoughts and prayers to Max and his family as they move through this most treacherous terrain to a new life for Max.

12:08 pm -

Just got off the phone with Mako. Max is still in the OR but the mood in Seattle is definitely upbeat. He told me Max joked with the docs and nurses in pre-op before going into surgery. His spirits are high and he is ready for the gift he's about to receive.

Kayak Race results are in and by all accounts the race was an unqualified success. A total of 41 racers in 6 experience/gender divisions competed. The racers and their generous sponsors contributed over $14,000 in pledges and direct contributions to Max's Fund. Results like this should make everyone who lives in our Cosmic Hamlet very proud indeed. Thanks to one and all for your efforts.
Well done!
The winners were:
Youth Division: Kelsey Coates               36.96 seconds
Women, New Racers: Brandi McGee    37.35 sec
Women, Experienced: Alison O'Hara   32.75 sec
Men, New Racers: Gart Curtis                30.02 sec
Men, Experienced: Andy Bullock           30.47 sec
Coaches (not eligible for prizes): Tom Pogson 29.65 sec

There will be an awards presentation Tuesday (tomorrow) at 6:30 pm in the Homer High School Commons. All are welcome.

Click here for complete results

Posted by Dave Swarthout - February 14, 2007

I am writing this from Eugene, Oregon, where I'm visiting my son Tuli and Max. They have been best friends since age 4 and housemates since my son moved here 2 years ago. I want to report that Max is doing well and looking good. His attitude about his situation has always been remarkable and it continues that way now.
Yesterday Max's mom, Alice, and I were sitting in their kitchen having coffee when a UPS truck pulled up in front of the house. A long, flat box addressed to Max was delivered. To me, having seen a few of these boxes before, it looked suspiciously like a tennis racquet box. We dragged Max into the room and got him to open the package. Indeed, it was a tennis racquet. Sent to him by tennis great Pete Sampras. (Pete's father-in-law and Max's grandfather are old friends.) Not only is the racquet autographed by Pete but it's a "used" racquet, one that Pete had obviously played with, complete right down to the addition of special lead tape which Pete uses as added stabilizing weight on this vintage Wilson Pro Staff racquet. Well, we got pretty excited to say the least. But that's not the whole story.
Max, Alice and I loaded his oxygen bottle, the new racquet and a bunch of balls into the car and off we went to the tennis courts on nearby 24th Street. We hit balls for about an hour. I tried to place my returns close to Max because he was on "a short leash," connected to the oxygen all the while. I tried out the heavy, pro-style racquet and realized just how strong a player like Sampras must be to swing that stick around for 5 sets of tennis—it had a very solid feel and is truly a "big gun" compared to our light-weight amateur racquets. We played until Tuli got off work, then we went out to see a movie. It was a very special time to be together.
Click here for photos.

Feb 07 Article about Max in Homer News
Feb 07 Article about Max in Homer Tribune

To contribute to Max's support fund, mail your check made out to Max's Fund to:
Mako Haggerty
PO Box 2001
Homer, AK 99603

You may also phone or visit the Wells Fargo Bank Branch in Homer, Alaska. Wells Fargo account holders may request a direct transfer in any amount to Max's Fund.

Max's Fund
Wells Fargo Alaska
Homer Branch
88 Sterling Highway
Homer, Alaska 99603
ph. 235-8151 or toll-free (800) 869-3557

Homer, Alaska - January 26, 2007
Posted by Amy Christiansen

Iam writing to update the community regarding Max Haggerty's current situation. I recently returned to Homer from a great family get-together. Lance (Max's twin brother), Mako, Alice, best friend Tuli Jakobson, and I, (and even Perfecto), all gathered in Eugene, Oregon, with Max over the holidays. Alice and Mako have put their entire lives on hold and have moved to Eugene to be close to their boy, as Max's lung function is now less than 20 percent. Finally, I am happy to report that, as of Jan. 5, Max is officially listed for a lung transplant at University of Washington Medical Center. This is huge news. Max is doing okay. He is on oxygen 24/7, and he is still his positive, funny, all-things-sports, loving self. Simply put, Max needs these new lungs. Once they become available, Max will be flown to Seattle for the surgery. It was a busy get-together; we attended classes and appointments at the transplant facility. We are all very optimistic and happy that these new lungs will be happening. Many of you have known Max all his life, and many of you have asked how you can help. We've opened up a special bank account for Max at Wells Fargo here in Homer. Mako and Alice are down there now for the long haul. All three will have to live within 30 minutes of the hospital in Seattle for at least three months post-transplant. They will need help with living expenses such as gas, food, rent etc., while in the Seattle area. They also will need some specialized medical equipment like a portable pulse oximeter. Please make a deposit to the Max Fund account, if you can, and put the entire Haggerty family, Mako, Alice, Max, and Lance, on your prayer list. Thank you all. Feel free to call me for updates at (907) 399-4122.

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