Kewanee City Council member readies for double lung transplant at Chicago’s Northwestern Hospital
By Mia Tucker
Steve Faber usually has no trouble performing his duties as a member of the Kewanee City Council. But late last year, a medical emergency damaged both his lungs, badly enough that he needs a double lung transplant, something that’s quite rare.
“I went into the hospital on December 23rd of last year,” Faber said. “I was there for 22 days at two different hospitals and a nursing home at the end, before I got to come back home, Way back when COVID was going on, I took the first two shots, no problems whatsoever. Then all of a sudden, I went and took the one booster, and I was down for four days. I couldn’t breathe and I’ve been on oxygen ever since, but it wasn’t severe until the 23rd. The hospital accidentally didn’t get the testing right, but I had the flu when I was in there, which settled into my lungs. They (the flu) had a week’s head start so it just went downhill from there.”
He’s heading to Northwestern Hospital in Chicago next week for testing to make sure he’s in the right shape for a transplant, but there a donor hasn’t been lined up yet. “I go up on Tuesday, that’s when I go for four to five days,” said Faber. “They’re going to go ahead and do all the testing. They got a test for cancer, and they have to make sure my heart’s right because it has taken a whole long pull on my heart, breathing hard all the time.”
After the transplant, Faber will be relying on friends like Jennifer Russell to provide 24/7 care for three months while he stays at a local hotel so he can be nearby for checkups. “That’s not something that’s paid for, so that’s up to friends and family,” said Russell. “The transplant team requires at least four people commit to being up there during that three months to provide 24/7 care.” She’s not concerned about what duties that may entail. “I did study premed, so I have some of the training before I changed my major. They require two caregivers to come up for a six hour training class, so we will come up that morning of the 27th with him. Steve will go in to get his testing started and we will go through the training and then we get to go home. Steve’s there for the rest of the week.”
Lung transplants are much more complicated that transplanting other organs, says Faber. “The problem is you can only have, as of right now, one transplant and it’s good for seven to eight years on average, but they can’t do it again. They can’t put another set in, so if I reject them, that’s it, I’ll be coming home in a box.” Normally surgeons only transplant one lung, but they can’t with Faber because one lung is completely dead and the other is only 20% active and has a fungal infection. Time isn’t on their side. “They gave him till the end of the year if he doesn’t get a transplant so they’re kind of in a hurry,” said Russell
When people hear “transplant,” they often think of an enormous medical bill for the procedure, but Faber says that’s not always the case. “The people that have these kinds of problems, they get scared because of the charges, but let me tell you, with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and my personal insurance, this million dollar operation ain’t going to cost me hardly anything.” Faber still must pay copays, as well as the hotel stay for three months after the transplant. “I have to pay the hotel bill myself, which is $9,500 a month just for the hotel.” The hotel he’s staying at his right across the street from the hospital, cutting down on transportation time and expenses. That amount doesn’t include train rides to and from the hospital for his caretakers or parking fees. Russell says they’ve gotten a little help with parking. “I do have a friend in Chicago, so we could use his parking spot, as long as there’s no Cubs game because he lives by Wrigley Field.”
Even though he’s on oxygen, Faber is still carrying on with his City Council duties. “I still go to as many extracurricular activities for the Council as I can. I drive my electric wheelchair there, but I still go to the function because that’s what I’m there for. If I could possibly make it, I’m going to make it.” Faber is even stepping in to fill in as mayor at the next Council meeting when Mayor Gary Moore is out of town. “I already promised him and if I didn’t show, the meeting would need to be cancelled. I did urge people, don’t stop calling me with your problems or whatever because I’ll still be able to take care of things.”
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Faber with his expenses related to the transplant. An account has also been set up to receive donations for Faber at Community State Bank in Kewanee.
