KidneyTalk - An Online Radio Show By Renal Support Network

Being a teenager and dealing with dialysis presents one set of challenges. Transitioning to an adult facility brings different challenges for patients and their family members. Helen Currier, RN, is Director of Renal Care at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas. This topic is a passion of hers. Lori and Helen discuss the issues that are unique to pediatrics, and share insights and best practices on how to prepare young patients for the responsibilities of managing their care in adult treatment settings.

Mary Houglum, RN, has been caring for people who have kidney disease for 42 years. She recently retired, and she shares with Lori what she learned from her patients and the advice she would give health care professionals caring for them. Dialysis care "is a long term relationship, and everyone becomes like family," says Mary. Listen to this heartfelt interview.

Recipients of the very special gift of a kidney are always grateful. Troy Zimmerman, VP of Government Relations, National Kidney Foundation, describes how the Living Donor Protection Act, introduced for the second time in February of 2016, will help people who donate a kidney and remove the barriers living donors are experiencing. Listen to this interview, be informed, and ask your Congressman to support House Bill HR 4616 and Senate Bill 2584.

Mary Rubino was on dialysis for 3 years and now has a successful kidney transplant. She experienced a range of distressing emotions while dealing with her illness, and pursued a career as a certified hypnotist because hypnosis helped her overcome them. She explains what hypnosis is, and how you can overcome fears, claustrophobia, anxiety, stress, and other emotional states, and live an extraordinary life. If you want to overcome unwanted feelings or habits, don't miss this show.

Diana Headlee-Bell, a long-time chronic kidney disease survivor, contracted Hepatitis C in 1999. She endured numerous treatments that caused side effects without much luck until she found her Golden Ticket: a cure that worked for her. She shares with Lori her journey, the cost of her treatment, her medication regimen and the outlook doctors have for her future.

Saying thank you to the family who gave the gift of life to save others is an important part to their healing. But, often people don't understand the process. Litsa Williams is the Director of Community Service for the Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland which is 1 of 58 Organ Procurement Organization in the United States. She describes the process and shares some stories that have happened as result of sending a letter. Learn how one needs to go about reaching out to the family who gave the gift of life.

If you have had kidney disease for any length of time, more than likely high potassium has been an issue. Dr. Lance Berman, Chief Medical Officer for Relypsa, talks with Lori about the company's new drug, Veltassa, approved by the FDA to treat high potassium. Dr. Berman explains in great detail how potassium impacts our bodies, current treatment options available and what to ask your doctor if potassium is an issue for you.

Kidney care is complex and often fragmented. A new pilot program by the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services is in play. Its name is End-Stage Renal Disease Seamless Care Organization (ESCO). Doug Johnson, MD, Medical Director for Dialysis Clinic Incorporated, along with his team Dr. Toros Kapoian, Kathy Searson, Karen Nugent, Bob Motacki, Wayne Dwyer describe how they plan to improve care coordination and be more efficient with resources.

Dr. Shuvo Roy is an Engineer who works at the University of California San Francisco. His life mission is to create a surgically-implanted, independently operational "bio"-artificial kidney to treat kidney failure. He talks with Lori about his grand vision of designing an implantable kidney, the timeline for clinical trials, and what he has learned so far. Listen and feel the hope that one day we may have a kidney made in the lab, readily available and the size of a coffee cup!

Jeff Wolin never thought he would be able to use his experience of being a dialysis and transplant recipient in such a meaningful way. Peer to Peer Support is proving to be a valuable addition to the medical community and Cedars Sinai Medical Center has an Ambassador program during kidney transplant clinic to help their patients connect with someone who has been there and share their experiences. "It is a rewarding and amazing experience" say Wolin. Listen to what he has learned, what are common questions he hears and how he got involved.

Jedidiah Rodriguez has lived with kidney disease since he was a child and has a fascination with racing and motorcycles. He found the perfect job. As a professional mechanic for a motocross team he fulfills his passion traveling to over 200 days a year with dialysis machine in tow. You may catch a glimpse of him on AMA Super Cross Series MX Sports. He shares with Lori how he cares for himself and communicates to his coworkers about his illness. He says, "taking care of yourself is difficult at times but the more you do it the easier it gets."

Why is it always hard to ask for help? Is asking for help a sign of weakness? We are willing to help others, but often we find it hard to express our own needs. Toni Bernhard is the author of two books, How to be Sick and How to Live Well with a Chronic Illness. Toni has a resilient and informative voice of helping others with a chronic illness learn strategies to cope and thrive. Lori and Toni discuss specific ideas you can do so you can ask other for help in your times of need. if you have limitations that prevent you from doing a task, asking for help is a gift to you and the helper.

Itchy skin is an uncomfortable, irritating and can distract you to point that all you think about is scratching. Itchy skin may be the result of many conditions when you have kidney disease. Dr. Yuval Bibi, is a dermatologist and explains what can cause itchy skin and ways you can best treat, care for and protect your birthday suit.

You've Got to Be Kidneying! Snopes.com has clarified that the claim of travelers being drugged and used as unwilling kidney donors by bands of organ thieves is a myth. Unfortunately, there are number of other scams on the internet that are becoming more widespread and Karol Franks has encountered quite a few. Karol has been looking for a kidney for her daughter Jenna since 2007 and she has seen her fair share of people trying to con. In this interview, she explains what to look out for, how to check people's backgrounds and how to protect yourself form becoming a victim.

Dr. Stephen Fadem, a nephrologist in Houston, Texas, is passionate about educating people who have chronic kidney disease and the physicians who care for them. He is a cancer survivor, and chemotherapy caused some damage to his kidney. In this interview, he discusses Essentials of Chronic Kidney Disease, a new book which he helped write and compile with several other physicians. He talks about how, in cooperation with your physician, you can take steps to either delay the progression of disease or, in many instances, prevent it. The earlier one addresses CKD, the better the chances of preserving kidney function. Knowledge is power, and this is a must-listen-to interview.

As we age, Alzheimer's becomes more of a risk. According to statistics, 1 in 10 people over age 65 and 47% of people over age 85 are at risk. In the year 2030, the number of those afflicted with Alzheimer's is expected to double, due to longevity. Susan Howland, Director of Education for the Alzheimer's Association, California Southland Chapter, explains the disease process, how to recognize the symptoms, a test that's available and how to get help for you or your loved one.

An emergency can arise in so many ways, and if you are on dialysis you need to know what to do. Joan Thomas is the Kidney Community Emergency Response Program Director of the ESRD National Coordinating Center, and works with communities to provide dialysis if a center isn't operational. She explains what people on dialysis need to know and have on hand, and the different communication and dietary strategies that ensure optimal health and survival if a disaster strikes.

Every person on dialysis has a care plan. Joanna Galeas is on Peritoneal Dialysis and talks about the importance of joining with your healthcare team in creating and developing a care plan. A Dialysis Care plan is a standard that the patient, doctor, nurse, social worker and dietitian to uses to review and note progress and make any changes as your health issues change. This may sound boring, but it can mean your life, so listen to Joanna explain how she is involved in her care plan and how that empowers her to enhance her own care and wellbeing.

Vernita Royal has Polycystic Kidney Disease and many of her family members suffer from it and have a kidney transplant or are on dialysis. She tells Lori her story, what she has learned and what people need to consider if they are adopting or fostering a child with an illness. She also debunks the myth that you cannot be single and adopt. She is a former Social Worker for adoptions and is very familiar with the process, but found it was completely different being the one trying to get approved. Listen to her journey and find out if she was matched with a child.

Phillip Zakowski, MD is a specialist in infectious diseases and he shares with Lori several strategies to stay bug free both pre- and post-transplant. He explains the risks and warning signs of infection, types of common infections, foods to avoid, vaccines to get and how to handle pets. The information in this show can save your life.