Breath of fresh air

WASILLA — Even on his worst day, Dennis Chavez still counts his blessings.

For one thing, he only needs a double lung transplant. At first, doctors in Anchorage told him he’d need a heart transplant, too. But doctors at the Mayo Clinic determined that his heart had recovered enough; the focus would now be just the lungs.

“What a roller coaster ride that was,” Chavez said.

Maria and Dennis Chavez have been through a lot of ups and downs since September 2009 when doctors ordered a lung biopsy.

The results were serious enough that doctors put Dennis on an emergency medical flight bound for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

“They say it’s a rare lung disease,” he said.

The top part of his lungs have pulmonary emphysema, but the bottom section of the organs have a rare disease called Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

Dennis said about 100,000 people in the world have the diagnosis.

He secondary diagnosis is end stage pulmonary hypertension.

“He’s connected to oxygen 24/7, which is basically keeping him alive along with several medications Maria said. The oxygen and medications along cost about $7,000 a month, she said.

One day at the Mayo Clinic, after Dennis had been pushed to his limit by days of testing in preparation for the transplant, he was just emotionally drained and ready to give up.

“It’s just too much,” he said.

Then as he’s being wheeled back to his next appointment, he saw a man with no legs.

That’s when he gave himself a frank pep talk.

“You know, Dennis, if he can undergo what he is and has been through. So can you,” he told himself.

“There are so many people who are a lot worse off than we are,” Maria said, fighting back tears.

Signs of trouble

The first sign of trouble came when Dennis had his gall bladder removed and a hernia repaired in 2008, he said.

During that surgery, his lungs collapsed and since he noticed his lungs weakening and an increased shortness of breath.

“I just started getting worse,” Dennis said.

After a lung biopsy in September 2009, his doctors at Providence in Anchorage had him medevac to the Mayo Clinic where a team of doctor evaluated his condition, Maria said.

They’ve been back and forth to the Mayo Clinic four times since Dennis’ condition was diagnosed in October 2009, she said.

In January 2011, the couple — married for 34 years this December — will temporarily relocate to Minnesota for a year or so to wait for a pair of donor lungs to become available.

“The rest of his body is healthy enough that he can take the transplant,” Maria said.

But finding a match won’t be easy — the donor organs must match his weight, blood type and chest size, she said.

“We have faith that he’ll get that set of lungs,” Maria said

Towing his oxygen tank, Dennis arrived at the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center for one appointment when a man came over and introduced himself.

“This man came over to me and shook my hand — he had the strongest handshake I’ve ever felt. He said, ‘My name is Michael. I went through a double lung transplant and you are gong to do just fine.’”

Mounting costs

Dennis was born in Montana, but moved here years ago to work. He said he’s worked and lived all over Alaska, the last nine years in Wasilla. Maria was born and raised in Alaska.

Most recently, he worked at Job Corps in Palmer for eight years.

But his unpaid time off guaranteed by the Family and Medical Leave Act, which allows eligible employees to take off up to 12 work weeks in any 12 month period, is running out.

In a few weeks the health insurance coverage he had through his employer will run out and his only option is to purchase coverage through Cobra to extend his benefits.

The couple estimates a year of Cobra coverage for Dennis will cost $23,400. Total, they estimate they’re facing about $30,000 in related costs that won’t be covered by insurance.

“I just don’t want to lose the house,” Dennis said. “If we have to sell everything we have to keep up, we will.”

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic suggested Maria and Dennis reach out to their community, tell their story and ask for help.

“We don’t really know where to start,” Maria said of the family’s fledging fund-raising effort.

How to help

Their daughter Destiny and her husband Travis moved in with Dennis and Maria to help out.

The new arrangements includes perks, such as grandsons Cody, 5, Logan 7 months, and Zebulon, 3, who live with their parents in the Wasilla house and their twin 18-month-old cousins Liam and Julian, and Annabelle, 1, who spend part of the day there in the care of their aunt.

“It’s a nice way to spend the days until January,” their grandpa said.

In order to be actively listed, Dennis must be within four hours of the Mayo Clinic and be on call 24/7 in the event new lungs become available.

“Leaving Alaska is hard,” Dennis said. “Leaving the kids and grandkids is even harder.”

There are several ways to help:

• Donate Alaska Airline miles to: Dennis Chavez-Alaska Airlines Mileage Account No. 23805283.

• Donate cash to Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union, 1020 South Bailey St., Palmer, “FBO Dennis Chavez,” account No. 128642.

• Or, mail donations to the family at Dennis Chavez Benefit, 1360 Woodcrest Drive, Wasilla, AK 99654.

Contact Heather A. Resz at heather.resz@frontiersman.com or 352-2268.