The Kidney Citizen Issue 13
Dialysis Patients and COVID 19: Should I get the Vaccine?, How to Prepare your Child for a Hospitalization, New Organ Transplant Guideline, and more!
So, You’ve Been Vaccinated. Now What?
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
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
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
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!
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!
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?
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 [...]
Heart Health and How it Impacts Our Kidneys
While February is usually associated with hearts for Valentine’s Day, it is also American Heart Month, where Americans are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle choices in order to prevent heart disease. The heart and the kidneys work closely together, so when one isn’t healthy, it can have an impact on the other. If you have kidney disease, you also are more likely to have heart disease. So, what are some ways you can help your heart thrive as a kidney patient? Eat a heart-healthy diet (think fruits and vegetables, high quality proteins, and avoiding foods that contain high levels of sodium, [...]
Black History Month and Kidney Health Disparities
As many people know, February is Black History Month, and it is important that we take the time to reflect upon, commemorate, and celebrate all the incredible achievements made by African Americans and the impact they have had on the history of the United States. What many do not know though, is the disparity with which kidney disease and illness affects the black community. African Americans comprise approximately 13% of the United States’ population; however, they make up more than 35% of all patients on dialysis due to kidney failure. Additionally, about 4.9 million African Americans over the age of 20 [...]