Podcast Summary
Leila's Unexpected Challenge: Kidney Failure and Vision Loss: Despite facing a life-altering health crisis, Leila continued to learn, think, and be inspired, demonstrating the human capacity for resilience.
Life can unexpectedly throw challenges our way, as evidenced by Leila Mirhadari's story. At a relatively young age, Leila woke up with vision problems caused by kidney failure. This was a shock to her, as her body was no longer filtering waste products from her blood, causing her blood to become toxic and leading to bleeding in her eyes. The cause of her kidney failure is believed to have been a severe case of the flu. Leila underwent dialysis, first at a center and later at home using a machine that pumped saline solution into her abdomen while she slept. Despite the challenges, Leila's story serves as a reminder that even in the face of adversity, we are capable of persevering and continuing to think, learn, and be inspired. The BBC, as a trusted source of information, can help us navigate the world and understand stories like Leila's.
A profound sense of gratitude and connection to a kidney donor: Receiving a kidney transplant brings relief, gratitude, and a newfound appreciation for life
Receiving a kidney transplant can bring about a profound sense of gratitude and connection to one's donor. The speaker, Leila, shared her personal experience of undergoing dialysis for nearly three years and the long search for a living donor. During her operation, she felt a strong sense of anticipation and relief, naming the kidney the "Hulk" due to its size and immediate impact. Post-surgery, she expressed a deep appreciation for the gift of life, and the freedom from the dialysis machine. This conversation took place in 2014, and Leila's update a few months ago serves as a reminder of the ongoing importance of organ donation and the profound impact it can have on individuals and their families.
The impact of healthcare access on transplant success: Lack of healthcare coverage and affordability for necessary medications can lead to rejection of transplanted organs and hinder the success of transplant procedures.
Access to healthcare and the ability to afford necessary medications can significantly impact the success of organ transplants. Leila, a woman who had received a kidney transplant eight years ago, shared her story on the show. She was living happily in Hawaii until the pandemic hit, leading to job loss and the subsequent loss of health insurance. With her health insurance tied to her employment, she faced barriers in affording her immunosuppressants and couldn't even get her labs checked. Desperate to continue her treatment, she made the mistake of extending her medication supply, which led her body to reject the transplanted kidney. Now, she's on a quest for another transplant while dealing with the financial challenges of her situation. This story underscores the importance of affordable healthcare and access to necessary medications for the success of organ transplants.
Understanding Organ Rejection and the Importance of Consistent Medication Use: Consistent medication use is crucial for preventing organ rejection, as the immune system identifies transplanted organs as foreign and attacks them without proper suppression. Failure to access or afford necessary medications can lead to irreversible damage.
When a person receives a transplanted organ, their body identifies it as foreign and tries to reject it. To prevent this, recipients take medications to suppress their immune system. However, if a person is unable to afford or access these medications consistently, their immune system may become too strong and attack the transplanted organ. This can lead to organ rejection, which can be difficult to reverse once the immune system has that blueprint. Dr. Nikolai Lekha, a kidney transplant specialist at the University of Washington Medical Center, explains that the immune system uses antibodies and T cells to attack foreign cells. These weapons can gum up the cellular works and recruit more defenses, or latch onto the foreign cells and inject noxious enzymes. The story shared highlights the importance of consistent access to necessary medications to ensure the success of a transplant.
The importance of immunosuppression medication for preventing organ rejection: Immunosuppression drugs are essential for keeping the immune system from damaging a transplanted organ, and failure to take them can lead to irreversible organ damage and the need for another transplant
Adequate immunosuppression medication is crucial for preventing organ rejection after a transplant. When the immune system recognizes the transplanted organ as foreign, it can trigger a damaging response that, if not kept in check by immunosuppressive drugs, can lead to clinical rejection. Unfortunately, once organ damage occurs, the lost function is often irreversible. Leila's story is a poignant reminder of this reality. After experiencing a rejection, she is now back on the waiting list for another transplant and facing the emotional and physical challenges that come with the search for a donor organ. It's important to note that more than 100,000 people in the US are currently waiting for an organ transplant, and tragically, about 17 people die daily while waiting. The lack of access to or adherence to immunosuppression medication can put transplant recipients in a precarious position and ultimately impact their chances of long-term health and survival.
New Law Allows Lifetime Coverage for Transplant Medications: A new law enables Medicare to pay for immunosuppressive medications for transplant recipients throughout their lives, ensuring access to essential medications regardless of insurance status.
A new law passed in December 2020 allows Medicare to pay for immunosuppressive medications for transplant recipients for their entire lives, providing a solution to a long-standing problem for many. However, this comes with the frustration of not being able to benefit from it directly for those who are currently in need. This change will ensure that individuals, regardless of their insurance status, will have access to these essential medications. For more information on living organ donation, listeners can contact their local transplant center or visit the United Network for Organ Sharing website. This episode was reported by Gabriel Spitzer and produced by Liz Metzger, with editing by Rebecca Ramirez, fact checking by Zazel Davis Vasquez, audio engineering by Gilly Moon, and senior leadership by Beth Donovan and Anya Grundmann. I'm Emily Quang, and thank you for listening to Shortwave from NPR. This podcast is supported by Easycater, dedicated to helping companies, from nonprofits to the Fortune 500, solve food for work.
Managing Corporate Catering and Education with Easycater and Capella University: Efficiently manage corporate catering needs with Easycater's access to 100,000 restaurants, budgeting tools, and payment by invoice. Pursue education at your own pace with Capella University's FlexPath program and caring instructors.
Easycater and Capella University offer convenient solutions for managing corporate catering needs and furthering your education, respectively. Easycater simplifies the process of ordering food for meetings and team lunches with access to over 100,000 restaurants nationwide, budgeting tools, and payment by invoice. Capella University, a sponsor of NPR, provides an online learning format called FlexPath, allowing students to earn their degrees at their own pace with support from caring instructors. By utilizing these services, organizations can efficiently manage their food expenses and individuals can imagine their future differently through education. For more information on Easycater, visit easycater.com, and for Capella University, check out capella.edu.
