“In Sickness and In Health”

Twenty-seven-year-old Bordentown, NJ native, Ashley Lamb, never thought that life could change so quickly.  She worked in social services and had recently become engaged to her boyfriend, Bobby, who worked as a probation officer. In January, everything that she had previously known about her future was now uncertain, as Bobby began the fight of his life.

Bobby, 33, had always been healthy, until he came down with what he believed was a bad cold or the flu.  After several days of being sick, they realized that he was getting worse and Ashley took him to the doctor. The doctor’s office found nothing of concern but the following day Ashley took him to the emergency room because he was then experiencing shortness of breath on top of all of his other symptoms. Due to the potential severity of his illness, he was immediately admitted to the local hospital in NJ and he was transferred to Temple University Hospital only four days later for more specialized care after being put into a medically-induced coma.  Doctors could not determine an exact cause of his illness but he was diagnosed with AIP (Acute interstitial pneumonia) and ARDS (Acute respiratory distress syndrome). Even without a known cause of his illness, they all agreed on one thing – Bobby was extremely sick. After a month of deteriorating health, his family and Ashley were faced with the reality that Bobby’s chances of survival were very slim, and that he would need a double lung transplant to survive.

On March 18^th, Bobby was added to the top of the transplant waitlist.  Now out of the coma and preparing for a transplant, he and Ashley decided to get married in the hospital two days later on the first day of spring. Ashley wore a white dress and the nursing staff at Temple CICU decorated the hospital room and brought in a cake. Then, something amazing happened. Just shortly before they were married, Bobby’s doctor told him that they may have new lungs for him. All of the staff celebrated with the couple and a few family members were able to join them for the wedding ceremony. That very night at 11pm, he was wheeled into the operating room a newly married man who was about to receive a second chance at life.

During this challenging time, Ashley was grateful to be able to count on Gift of Life Howie’s House. The House has been a reliable “home away from home” for her and has given her an emotional support system. “Staying at the Gift of Life Howie’s House has made such a huge positive impact on my life, both emotionally and financially.  Before I knew about the House, I was struggling to pay for a hotel.  It was stressful going between a friend’s sofa and a random hotel when the hospital waiting room was no longer an option,” said Ashley.  “I just wanted to be close to Bobby, but also know that I had a comfortable place to call home at the end of the day. The support of other family house guests has also made such a difference in my life.  I know I have a nice place to go every night and people to talk to who understand what I’m going through.”

Today, Bobby is about 3 weeks post-transplant and is doing much better than doctors had ever expected.  He is working with respiratory and physical therapists and has learned to walk again after being in bed for the past three months.  Ashley, who is staying at Gift of Life’s Gift of Life Howie’s House to be close to her husband, is with Bobby every day to support him through this challenging journey.