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Heidi Karn Barker, 24, Lawrence, and her mother, Tracie Karn, McLouth, visit Jan. 28 at their apartment in St. Louis. Heidi, who has cystic fibrosis, had a double lung transplant Jan. 4 across the street from the apartment at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. She will live in St. Louis at least another two months for rehabilitation.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Heidi Karn Barker, Lawrence, is monitored by Dottie Biggar, pulmonary rehabilitation supervisor, as she walks on a treadmill at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. She walked 1.1 miles during her rehabilitation Jan. 29 at the hospital. Before a double lung transplant on Jan. 4, she used oxygen and tired easily.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Brad barker says goodbye to his wife, Heidi Karn Barker, Dec. 6 before heading to work at Kansas University. Meanwhile, she waited for her dad, George Karn, to load some of her belongings for the move to St. Louis, where she waited for a double lung transplant.

Photo by Mike Yoder

The Karn family of McClouth, devoted Green Bay Packer fans, had a "fantastic" trip earlier this month to Green Bay's Lambeau Field to watch the Packers play the Buffalo Bills. Through special arrangements by Packer coach Mike Sherman they watched the game from the sidelines. From left: Tracie ; daughters Heidi and Michala with dad, George Karn in the back.

Heidi Karn Barker says goodbye to her cat Kink as she prepares to head to St. Louis to wait for a double-lung transplant. Heidi's transplant took place at Barnes Jewish Hospital Jan, 4. Heidi was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when she was 18 mo. old.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Heidi Karn Barker, 24, Lawrence, exercises on a treadmill during her post double lung transplant rehab at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO., Jan. 28, 2008. Heidi, who has cystic fibrosis, had the transplant on Jan. 4 at the St. Louis hospital. She will live in St. Louis at least another two months for rehab.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Heidi Karn Barker, 24, Lawrence, has her blood pressure checked by Larry Sylvester, registered respiratory therapist, during Heidi's rehab at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO., Jan. 28, 2008. talks about her double-lung transplant at her apartment in St. Louis, MO., Heidi, who has cystic fibrosis, had a double lung transplant on Jan. 4 at the St. Louis hospital. She will live in St. Louis at least another two months for rehab.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Heidi Karn Barker, 24, Lawrence, views her email at her apartment in St. Louis, MO., Jan. 28, 2008. Barker, who has cystic fibrosis, had a double-lung transplant on Jan. 4 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. She will live in St. Louis at least another two months for rehab.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Tracie Karn and her daughter Heidi Karn Barker watch Heidi's cat Kink as they prepare to head to St. Louis to wait for a double-lung transplant. Heidi's transplant took place at Barnes Jewish Hospital Jan, 4. Heidi was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when she was 18 mo. old.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Tracie Karn, left, helps pack up oxygen tanks for her daughter Heidi Karn Barker as they prepare to move Heidi from Lawrence to St. Louis to wait for a double-lung transplant. Heidi's transplant took place at Barnes Jewish Hospital Jan, 4. Heidi was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when she was 18 mo. old.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Heidi Karn Barker, 24, Lawrence, has her blood pressure checked by Larry Sylvester, registered respiratory therapist, during Heidi's rehab at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO., Jan. 28, 2008. talks about her double-lung transplant at her apartment in St. Louis, MO., Heidi, who has cystic fibrosis, had a double lung transplant on Jan. 4 at the St. Louis hospital. She will live in St. Louis at least another two months for rehab.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Heidi Karn Barker, 24, Lawrence, views her email at her apartment in St. Louis, MO., Jan. 28, 2008. Barker, who has cystic fibrosis, had a double-lung transplant on Jan. 4 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. She will live in St. Louis at least another two months for rehab.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Heidi Karn Barker, 24, Lawrence, talks about her double-lung transplant at her St. Louis, Mo., apartment in this Jan. 28, 2008, file photo.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Heidi Karn Barker, Lawrence, left with Philip Black, cystic fibrosis center director for Children's Mercy Hospital in November of 2007. He has been Heidi's doctor for about 15 years.

Photo courtesy of Heidi Karn Baker

Heidi Karn looks like the picture of health as she talks about Cystic Fibrosis. "I don't say hey, pity me, pity me I've got cystic fibrosis ... but if someone wants to talk about it I'll tell them all they want to know, " she said. Heidi is a Kansas University sophomore. (File photo from April, 29, 2003)

Photo by Bill Snead Journal-World File Photo

At Heidi Karn and Brad Barker's wedding, Saturday June 25, 2006, at the First Baptist Church in McLouth, Ks. Brad, second from right, hugs his and Heidi's long time friend and his best man, Jason Owen. Jason toasted the newlyweds. Heidi is the daughter of Traci and George Karn, McLouth and Brad is the son of Debi and David Barker, Basehor.

Photo by Bill Snead

Before her wedding Saturday June 25, 2006, to Brad Barker, Heidi Karn was held aloft by four of her cousins who ushered for the occasion.

Photo by Bill Snead

Heidi and her husband Brad during a stay in Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. in spring of 2006.

Photo by Bill Snead

Heidi and Brad four days post-transplant at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

Photo courtesy of Heidi Karn Barker

Heidi works at exercise rehabilitation pre-transplant - wearing an oxygen saturation monitor and oxygen tubing. People with lung diseases tend to become de-conditioned because it's hard to stay active. The better shape they're in before a transplant, the better the are able to survive and recover from transplant surgery.

Photo courtesy of Heidi Karn Barker

Heidi Karn Barker, center, with her pre-surgery transplant coordinator Stacie Rupp, RN. left and G. Alexander Patterson, MD., chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine and surgical director of lung transplant at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. He is one of the leading lung transplant surgeons in the world.

Photo courtesy of Heidi Karn Barker