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About Hannah Bracamonte

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So far Hannah Bracamonte has created 560 blog entries.

New Organ Transplant Guideline Promotes Patient Safety, Organ Availability

2024-03-28T20:59:18-04:00April 19th, 2021|Categories: Immunizations, Kidney Transplant, The Kidney Citizen|

By Sridhar Basavaraju, MD, FACEP, CDR-USPHS and Heather Ewing Ogle, MA, MPH In the United States, there are approximately 90,000 patients with end-stage renal disease waiting for a transplant. For those patients, a kidney transplant could substantially improve their quality of life. Unfortunately, an organ offer may not be available for every patient in need because of the length of the waiting list. With guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Public Health Service released a new guideline in 2020 that may increase the number of available organs for those in need of a transplant. The [...]

The COVID-19 Vaccine is Finally Here. Learn How to Manage Anxiety and Impatience While You Wait

2024-03-28T20:59:19-04:00April 19th, 2021|Categories: Mental Health, Staying Healthy, The Kidney Citizen|Tags: |

By Kirsten Weir It’s been a long and stressful pandemic year. Now that COVID-19 vaccines are becoming available, many people are wrestling with a new burst of emotions: From fear and skepticism to excitement and impatience. “There is such a range of emotions around the vaccine rollout,” says Elizabeth Christofferson, PhD, a pediatric psychologist and clinical director of transplant psychology at Children’s Hospital of Colorado and an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “Those emotions are normal and valid — and you can find ways to cope with them.” Easing Concerns About the Vaccine Guidelines from the [...]

So, You’ve Been Vaccinated. Now What?

2024-03-28T20:59:21-04:00April 5th, 2021|Categories: Additional Resources, eNews, Immunizations|Tags: |

First of all, congratulations! It has been a long and difficult year for everyone, and finally having some protection against COVID-19 feels good. We still have a ways to go though, and since we are still learning about how the vaccines will affect the spread of the virus, it is important that everyone one keeps taking precautions – such as wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds or poorly ventilated indoor spaces. The CDC has also provided some recommendations to help with decision making in daily activities for people who have been vaccinated. The first thing [...]

Fabry Awareness Month

2024-03-28T20:59:22-04:00April 1st, 2021|Categories: Additional Resources, eNews, What Causes Kidney Disease|

April is Fabry Awareness Month, which brings attention to a rare disease that affects about 1 in 100,000 people. So, what is it? Fabry is an inherited genetic condition, caused by a mutation on the X chromosome in the GLA gene that leads to reduced levels of the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A (AGA) in the body. This means that the body cannot break down a certain type of fat, called globotriaosylceramide (GL-3), which then continues to build-up in a way that causes the blood vessels all over the body to become narrowed. This causes damage to tissues and organs, including your kidneys! [...]

Healthy Lifestyle May Lower Death and Major Adverse Cardiac Events Risk in Kidney Patients

2024-03-28T20:59:24-04:00March 10th, 2021|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Staying Healthy|

It is no secret that doctors advise all their patients to live a healthy lifestyle; eating well, including making sure to get the recommended daily nutrients for your diet, regular exercise, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and not smoking are beneficial for everyone. However, this is particularly important for patients living with CKD, as they are 10 times more at risk for cardiovascular disease compared with the general public. A new study, published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, has shown that adhering to generally recommended healthy lifestyle choices may lower the risk of death and major adverse [...]

Podcast: The Elephant in the Room – Fear & Uncertainty During COVID-19

2024-03-28T20:59:25-04:00March 4th, 2021|Categories: eNews, Mental Health, Support|Tags: |

At the end of last year, dialysis patients were invited to submit their questions about real-life issues during COVID-19. In this first episode of the new podcast, The Elephant in the Room, experts respond to patients’ letters, including Dale Lupu from George Washington School of Nursing, Liz Anderson, a long-time social worker (both of whom were presenters for the Ed Center’s January 2021 webinar), and a kidney patient with “lived experience” John Brandon Bayton, Jr. You can listen to the first episode of the podcast on Buzzsprout here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1642372/7476073-episode-1-fear-uncertainty-during-covid-19

March is National Kidney Month!

2024-03-28T20:59:26-04:00March 1st, 2021|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Physical Health, Stress Management|

Your kidneys work hard for you all year long, but this month we give them a little extra recognition and raise awareness about kidney disease for National Kidney Month. This year’s theme is all about taking charge of your health and what goes into managing your kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious condition that affects 37 million people; however, it is often overlooked until symptoms appear. This can put you at risk for serious health complications, including kidney failure, so it is important to know the ways to help manage and slow the progression of CKD. Take charge [...]

Join Us for Our New Patient Support Group!

2024-03-28T20:59:27-04:00February 11th, 2021|Categories: eNews, Mental Health, News & Events, Patient Support Group, Support|

In March we will be launching our first Patient Support Group meeting by telephone. Having a support group has been one of our goals for years and we are happy to announce it is now a reality. We chose to have the group meet by phone instead of online or in a Zoom meeting because we think most everyone has a phone. And we want the support group to be available to all patients at any stage of kidney disease and to their families. On the second Tuesday of each month, at 3:00 pm Eastern, you can call and join in [...]

Dialysis Patients and COVID-19: Should I get the vaccine? If I get the virus, should I take the antibody treatment?

2024-03-28T20:59:28-04:00February 8th, 2021|Categories: eNews, Immunizations, The Kidney Citizen|Tags: |

Written by: Alan S. Kliger, M.D., Clinical Professor of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, and Co-Chair, American Society of Nephrology (ASN) COVID-19 Response Team. As 2021 unfolds, the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Dialysis patients continue to isolate at home, socially distance from family and friends, use face coverings and precautions traveling to dialysis and in the unit. How will this pandemic end? Many patients have important questions about the new vaccines and about new treatments for the infection. First, some facts about the vaccines: What is a vaccine? An injected vaccine is designed to stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies that [...]

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