DURHAM, N.C. — It takes persistence, support and, yes, cash, to beat death. Robert Brennan, beloved Cape Fear Community College professor, has done just that.
Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth, Brennan extended his expected life by decades through a dedicated exercise regime. But time was running out. Last month, he was down to his last few weeks as he awaited a double lung transplant.
“Previous to the operation, not drowning in your own lungs was a main concern,” his brother Randall Brennan said. “We were close. We were close to the end.”
Now, Robert has a new pair of lungs and can finally shake the feeling of a looming timeline.
“Now, he’s not running out of air,” Randall Brennan said. “He’s never running out of air again.”
Back to work
“Despite his disease, they were actually finished in four-and-a-half hours,” Brennan said. “He was very lucky.”
Typically, doctors carve out nine hours for such an extensive procedure on a patient with cystic fibrosis.
“People who do work out tend to recover faster,” Randall said. “If you’re used to that discomfort of pushing, of reaching, of digging just a little bit further, it makes recovery a little bit easier.”
As Robert Brennan adjusts to the feeling of full lung capacity after a lifetime of compromised and restricted oxygen flow, he has to ensure his body doesn’t reject his new lifeline.
When a body receives foreign organs, it must take on a slew of anti-rejection drugs, which lowers its immune system.
“In order to successfully transplant foreign biological material in the body, you have to keep the body from recognizing it as foreign,” Randall said.
This means as Robert Brennan recovers, he has to limit who he can see, what he can eat and where he can go, since his body’s immune system is compromised.
“Every once in a while I have to remind him, ‘You’re still alive dude,'” Randall Brennan said.
Though he is forced to rest to aid in his recovery process, Brennan says Robert’s reliance on outside help has been an adjustment, noting: “He’s not the lay around type.”
Robert Brennan’s recovery requires a full-time primary care person’s attention. That person is Robert’s brother, who has assumed the role with pride.
“He’s my brother,” Randall said.
Expensive lungs
Still, financial challenges remain. The brothers’ have tried to stay focused on the steps in front of them. An estimated $1.2 million is required to bring Robert Brennan back to his daily life; that includes surgery, medication and relocation costs.
Stationed in Durham to be near the Duke University Hospital, funding will continue to be a future concern.
“We won’t know what the medications are actually going to cost until that scary talk,” Randall said. “The cost, that’s a hurdle for another day.”
Since Robert Brennan’s GoFundMe page went live, $28,960 of $40,000 has been raised. The $40,000 was requested because that is the minimum amount necessary to prove an organ recipient can eventually live unassisted, and the family used the GoFundMe listing to get on the donor list.
“He is so grateful for the outpouring of support and really, really touched with how generous people have been,” Randall said.
Robert Brennan hopes to return to his work as a Cape Fear Community College professor of history this fall and plans to teach online courses if he is unable to be physically present.
Because Robert Brennan’s immune system will remain compromised in the coming months, Randall Brennan asks that for those who want to help to can continue donating to the GoFundMe.
Johanna Ferebee can be reached at johanna@localvoicemedia.com or @j__ferebee on Twitter
