At six-months-old Trent Allsman was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. For years Allsman was in and out of the hospital. In 2008, his left lung collapsed.
“It was just a real steady decline after that,” said Allsman.
Allsman needed a double lung transplant to get healthy. In November, he was scheduled to head to Minneapolis to prepare for his transplant. That was until Nebraska Medicine made a big announcement.
“I made the phone call to Minnesota immediately and told them that I wasn’t coming,” said Allsman.
This year Nebraska Medicine launched a lung transplant program meaning Allsman got to stay home.
“The thing about Trent is all his care has been here his whole life,” said Nurse Bobbi Heffelfinger.
A few months ago Lung Transplant Coordinator Nurse Bobbi Heffelfinger added Allsman’s name to the transplant list and waited to make the call.
“The favorite part of my job is calling the patients and saying we got lungs,” said Allsman.
Allsman says when he finally got the call he thought it was a prank.
“I was worried that it was an April Fools’ joke, because it was April Fools when she called me,” said Allsman.
It was no joke, Allsman received a new set of lungs on April 2nd.
Before Allsman had his double lung transplant, something like taking the trash out was difficult for him, now he can walk a few miles with ease.
“Yeah everything is crazy, I can do stuff now,” said Allsman.
Five times a week Allsman attends pulmonary rehab at Nebraska Medicine.
“Surgery wasn’t terribly easy, but it's getting better every day,” said Allsman.
Allsman says it's a long road to recovery, but it helps to have an amazing medical team and his friends and family by his side.
After Allsman's transplant to show support, friends and family got matching lung tattoos.
“I got shown the pictures and the tattoos after they were done and it brought a tear to my eye,” said Allsman.
Allsman says his surgery experience has been surreal.
“It still feels like a dream, I still feel like it's going to wake up and it didn't happen,” said Allsman.
