The Lung Transplantation Handbook: A Guide For Patients, Second Edition [Spiral-bound]

Karen A. Couture (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 22, 2001 | ISBN-10: 1552125041 | ISBN-13: 978-1552125045 | Edition: 2nd

This comprehensive, 270-page book, written by lung transplant recipient Karen A. Couture, covers the entire transplantation process from beginning to end for both lung and heart-lung transplants.

This book introduces the reader, in easy-to-understand language, to the complex process of getting on the transplant waiting list and how the list works; preparing for surgery and the surgery itself; financing the operation and the recovery afterward; and the complications of rejection and the medications. It also includes precautions a transplant recipient should take in order to live a long and healthy life; returning to work or school; future trends in transplantation; and writing to your donor family.

Scattered throughout this book are excerpts from the stories of pre-transplant patients, recipients and caregivers, to offer the unique perspective only a person going through the process could furnish.

This edition also provides a wealth of information in an extensive, up-to-date resource section; glossary; appendix of all lung transplant centers, including waiting time and the number of transplants performed; bibliography; and worksheets. This publication is a must-read for transplant candidates, recipients, family members, as well as social workers, and nurse transplant coordinators.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Karen A. Couture is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Over the past 20 years, Ms. Couture has worked in the visual arts and publishing fields. She was diagnosed with a rare lung disease, lymphangioleiomyomatosis, for which she received a double-lung transplant at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida on January 21, 1996. Currently, she is a licensed massage therapist and lives in Davie, Florida.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 270 pages
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing; 2nd edition (February 22, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552125041
• ISBN-13: 978-1552125045
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #960,160 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource for Lung Transplant Patients, November 3, 2005

By 

Douglas Broehl "Delafield Doug" (Delafield, Wis.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lung Transplantation Handbook: A Guide For Patients, Second Edition (Spiral-bound)

I had a lung transplant in March 2003 at UW Madison. I found this to be the best resource in print. It is a sort of enyclopedia covering all aspects of lung transplantation: medications, complications, surgical aspects, etc. It covers technical material, but is easy to read and is written for lay persons. I would highly recommend reading it before you have a transplant in order to understand what you're really getting into. I constantly referred to it when I was recovering, and it answered many of my questions, or clarified things my doctors/nurses had said.

The one major drawback to this book is that there is no index and it covers far too briefly the emotional aspects of having a lung transplant. However, I still have no hesitation recommending this excellent resource, and I am glad that I had it next to me on my journey of recovery.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST for every transplant patinet and their families!, September 1, 2007

By 

Thomas E. Archer (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lung Transplantation Handbook: A Guide For Patients, Second Edition (Spiral-bound)

This comprehensive guide leads the lung trasnplant patient through the transplant process and addresses every questions from pre transplant evaluation through post transplant recovery and pulmonary rehabilitaion. Included are quotes from transplant recipients in which they share their experience regarding a particular part of the transplant process which makes me feel like I am not in this alone. I referred to this guide every step of my transplant journey and have recommended it to hundreds of transplant patients. This book is the definative guide for all my transplant questions. I wouldn't be without it.

Tom Archer
President
Second Wind Lung Transplant Association, Inc

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Lung Transplantation Handbook: A Guide For Patients, Second Edition, May 22, 2008

By 

Robert P. Halpin "care giver" (DeLand FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lung Transplantation Handbook: A Guide For Patients, Second Edition (Spiral-bound)

Once a person passes the denial stage and makes the decision to become a transplant candidate, they go through the work up process with their eyes wide open hoping the medical professionals will provide information in an understandable format that will reassure them that they made the correct decision. This is unfortunately not always what happens. What this book does is fill in a lot of information gaps that are created during the process of becoming a lung transplant candidate. There are lots of "feel good" books in print, but this is the first book I found that supplied straight talk. I would recommend this book to all caregivers and to any transplant candidate who can handle the realities of lung transplantation. Some statistical information is outdated but expected considering progress being made in this area of medicine.