New lungs for Nick Ewasiuk

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Published on Friday, August 12, 2016

Submitted photo. Following his double lung transplant, Nick Ewasiuk began his rehabilitation in hospital in Edmonton.

By Vern May

For the Neepawa Banner

The first thing that grabs you about Erickson’s Nick Ewasiuk is his engaging smile and his unforgettable charisma.  Even isolated in an Edmonton hospital just days after double lung transplant surgery, that irrepressible quality still shines through as he talks about his journey and what’s still ahead.

Ewasiuk was first diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age five, but his illness really didn’t begin to create an impactful deterioration of his health until adulthood.  For the past eight years, the effects of cystic fibrosis have influenced his life in many ways.  The class of 2007 graduate from Erickson Collegiate has put his aspirations for international travel on hold, fearing for the consequences of experiencing a health emergency on foreign soil.  Even his professional life has taken a back seat to his illness.  Last fall, he enrolled in the nursing program at Red River College, but was forced to withdraw after the number of absences due to hospitalization became too disruptive to his education.

“I feel excited and optimistic”

After consultation with his doctor, Nick was added to the donor list in January.  As his condition has worsened, the 28 year old was given a no travel order, restricting him to Winnipeg for the past several months so that he would be readily available if donor lungs became available.  Two weeks ago, he received a call – a donor had been identified and he was flown to Edmonton the following day for a double lung replacement that will save his life.

“I feel like I’ve been hit by a train. But for the first time in a long time, I feel excited and optimistic about my future,” says Nick from his hospital bed in Edmonton. “On the flip side, it feels a little bittersweet to be honest, because I know that the happiness that my family is experiencing right now comes at a high price.  There is another family who has lost someone in their life right now and are dealing with a lot of pain.”

His mother, Clanwilliam-Erickson councilor Tami Johnson, has been at his bedside in Edmonton as he has taken his first steps and participated in his first physiotherapy session, just five days removed from major surgery.

Double lung transplant more effective

Double lung transplants of this nature have been taking place for 30 years in Canada and the John Hopkins School of Medicine released findings in 2009 which indicate that a double lung transplant for cystic fibrosis is more effective than a single lung procedure.  But a transplant doesn’t cure the disease as the gene responsible for the malady still exists in cells throughout the body except for the transplanted organ.  Still, the survival rate for this procedure is encouraging, extending the lives of patients for years.  Half of transplant recipients have enjoyed more than a decade of good health after receiving new lungs.

While doctors are encouraged by the apparent success of the July 29 surgery which saw Nick in the operating room for seven hours, followed by 10 hours in a ventilator, the road ahead to full recovery is a long one that is certain to bring new challenges.  He’ll be in hospital in Edmonton for another week, still connected to two chest tubes before he’s stable enough to make the trip back to Manitoba, where he has a few weeks of monitoring at the Health Sciences Centre.  The months ahead include physiotherapy and rehabilitation which will see him out of work for four months at a minimum, but he’s been cautioned that it may be a year before he’ll find himself able to earn an income.

Unsinkable enthusiasm

Medically, the future looks encouraging, however the financial implications of his recovery period do create some worry for the young man who aspired to be a nurse.  To help offset costs, the family has established a GoFundMe crowd funding campaign to ease the stress of financial pressures, allowing Nick to focus fully on his recovery both during and after his release from the hospital.  Those interested to help with the fundraising effort can donate at:https://www.gofundme.com/2hl10jw

Still, Nick’s unsinkable enthusiasm shines through as he talks about the short and long term goals.  For those who know him best, even with what he has recently endured, there’s no surprise that his focus is on others, not himself.

“I plan to go back to school, but I’m not sure if I’m going to stick with nursing, though that’s what I’d love to do,” shares Nick. “I’m not certain it’s the best career option if I’m going to be on immunosuppressants for the rest of my life.  I may switch to social work – where I can still help people in need.”