The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 34 COVID patients today, same as yesterday. Other significant numbers:
19 with the active virus today, 20 yesterday
1 in ICU, 2 yesterday
0 on a ventilator, 1 yesterday
15 hospitalized, but out of acute infection phase, 14 yesterday
Key points from today’s guests:
Alex Brown, kidney transplant patient and member of the Morning Medical Update team
His kidneys started failing in October 2020 and was in need of a transplant.
It was a shock to learn he had to be put on a kidney transplant list at 34 years old.
While searching for a living donor, his co-worker Logan secretly underwent testing to see if he was a match so he could donate his kidney to Alex.
Alex and his family were surprised with the news by Logan – and it was all captured on camera as it happened.
“I just can’t say enough about Logan and what he means to me — this huge, huge gift that he’s giving. He’s just an amazing person.”
Logan Blankenship, kidney donor and member of the Morning Medical Update team
Logan was inspired by the stories he covers in his daily job at the health system.
It was a two-day screening process to see if he was a match for Alex.
It was a family and faith-based conversation to decide to become a kidney donor, and his wife has been very supportive of this.
He believes this only affects his family for a couple months to save someone else’s family forever.
Encourages others to find ways to help other people.
Dr. Sean Kumer, transplant surgeon, VP of perioperative and procedural services, The University of Kansas Health System
Told Logan that he’d be the only person at the hospital getting an operation he didn’t need – that’s the heroism of what Logan is doing.
In terms of recovery for the donor, the first couple days are pretty rough and for the first six weeks after surgery, no heavy lifting and you are basically only able to walk and go up and down stairs. And after that things will start to get back to normal.
Thank you to every donor living and deceased, past, present and future, as well as Logan. I think these are the ultimate gifts.
Dr. Tim Schmitt, director of transplantation, The University of Kansas Health System
Our first priority is safety for the donor. That’s a huge ask to give your kidney to somebody else, but you also want to come out the same as you went in, and we have to make sure we do our due diligence to check donors to make sure we’re not going to hurt them.
In the end, the recipient of the living donor is the one who does the best because they get the kidney that’s going to work the longest and work the quickest.
Donation crosses so many faiths and religions — the golden rule. Giving a gift like this is probably the best one that fits that description.
Rev. Becky Johnson, Chaplain, The University of Kansas Health System
Most religions are very supportive of organ donation, whether it’s a living donor or a deceased donor. Especially the major religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity, all are based upon saving a life sacrificial love and helping one another.
About two or three years ago we started an honor walk — an amazing opportunity for all of our staff who are there at the moment when the patient is taken back to the operating room where the organs will be procured. The staff line the hallway as the patient and their family members walk to that surgical area to honor this hero that’s going down the hallway to save others.
We are just in awe of the gift that this family has determined that they will give to another person so that they can sustain life. That’s a gift of life to another person.
Faith and science can go hand in hand.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System
The death rates from COVID are still way too high.
Again, most of those deaths are coming with unvaccinated people, those who are not up to date on vaccinations, and/or those who have immunocompromised conditions.
It is very important as we get into the winter to remember to be up to date on your vaccines, as well as get tested early.
We have 17 RSV inpatients and the range for this is quite broad — two weeks old to 77 years old.
Influenza numbers aren’t as high, but we do have inpatients, so unfortunately we are still seeing severe disease from these other respiratory viruses, not just COVID.
Monday, November 14 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Type 2 diabetes can be an issue for many during the holidays. We’ll share three food changes you can do now to help you through the holidays.
Visit our website, www.kansashealthsystem.com or findadoctor.kansashealthsystem.com.
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