LEXINGTON, Ky.— A Lexington man has been in isolation for over four months waiting for a phone call that could save his life. 

In 2018, Tom Williams was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, and today he is on oxygen 24 hours a day waiting for a lung transplant.

“So I don't really have much outside communication, just be extra cautious because with this lung disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. If I would contract it, it would be severe so I have to do everything possible to lose contact.” Williams said. 

The UK HealthCare Medical Director of Lung Transplants, Dr. Maher Baz says COVID-19 has impacted the department severely with the way transplants are performed as well as the availability to patients. 

“Transplants are still in need because of lung diseases, they don't wait on COVID to pass, unfortunately, certain kinds of lung diseases that continue to progress that we have to make sure a transplant is available for them.” Dr. Baz said.

Both the donor and the patient must take a rapid COVID-19 test and both must test negative before the procedure can happen. If a patient’s test results come back positive then they will have to be treated for COVID in isolation and will go back on the transplant list until another lung becomes available. 

Williams has been reading books on his porch to get him through the day and is encouraging others to become organ donors and to continue safety procedures with COVID-19 because it could save a life. 

“We can encourage a lot of folks in our area to sign the donor card and make other people aware, there's a lot more opportunities for us to have a chance at a good life and I'm really looking forward to getting these lungs and getting out and doing some good things again,” Williams said.