Health Chronicles

Join us in this insightful episode as we explore Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patient education with Michael, the visionary founder of Ayogo. Ayogo is a Canadian Healthcare Technology company that designs user experiences, empowering CKD patients to make informed, confident, and prepared treatment decisions. In this conversation, we explore the unique experiences and innovative approaches that Ayogo brings to CKD patient education. Discover how technology and personalized strategies are transforming the landscape of patient education, creating a more empowering and effective learning experience for those managing CKD. Email lifeplan@ayogo.com if you have any questions or are interested in accessing Ayogo's CKD LifePlan!

It's been about three months since we all got together to record, and with May being Mental Health Awareness month, we wanted to focus on mental health as kidney transplant recipients. Whether it be stress, medication-induced anxiety, or general fear, it is essential to discuss your feelings and recognize when you need help! Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @HealthChroniclesPodcast Thank you for tuning in!

Our special guest this episode is Dr. Hamna, a pediatrician and mother of 3, including her young son who was diagnosed with Hydronephrosis. She is passionate about providing a holistic approach in treating all her patients. In this episode, Dr. Hamna provides her insights on how to communicate a diagnosis, ways a caregiver can find support, and how to prioritize self care. Tune-in to hear Dr. Hamna's perspective on patient care, her insights caring for her son, and her holistic practice/tips! To connect with Dr. Hamna, check out her YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@Doctor.Mama.H

Our first episode of 2023 is with Vanessa, a fellow kidney transplant recipient of 5 years and a pilot by profession. Our conversation focuses on how to prepare for a flight, what to pack, the importance of making time for your health and rest when you land, how to advocate for yourself and what our favorite destinations have been to date!

Bacterial infections can seem harmless and common, however, if left undiagnosed can leave your body in sepsis. We discuss our own experiences suffering from a bacterial infection that left us hospitalized because of a late diagnosis. Our goal is to share our experience and provide information for others to learn preventative measures that can help.

In this episode, we discuss Kidney disease portrayal in media and how celebrities and social media have brought awareness to the cause. We will delve into the narrative portrayed in media and how we as patients choose to take the lead in sharing our narrative to normalize CKD and transplantation. The questions we address are: why do we choose to share our story? what responsibility do we have as patients to share our experience, and how can we all bring awareness to the cause in our way? Tune in to join us on this discussion and share with us your thoughts :)

Hello everyone! This week, we are joined by Carol Urquidez, the founder of the Kidney Quest Foundation. When Carol first started her foundation, she had one goal in mind- to support kidney patients. Years later, her foundation continues to support patients globally through their outreach programs, events and social work. We discuss her foundation, their efforts and she provides insight on how to start your very own foundation or support group. Thank you so much for joining us this week! Learn more about Carol and her on social media! Instagram: @KidneyQuestionFoundation Don't forget to follow us on IG @healthchronicalpodcast. We hope you enjoy this episode!

We're back after almost 2 months - thank you listeners for your patience! In this episode we share what's been keeping each of us busy and how we have been coping with the overwhelming periods of our lives. 

Often times, social workers are the backbone of the healthcare system. They coordinate appointments, post care, provide resources for financial assistance and much more! They truly go out of their way to assist patients in any way that they can. Being that March is National Social Work month, it is only right that we include a conversation with one! Today, we speak with social worker Hina Franklin on the health care system, resources for patients, end-of-life care and much more! Hina, who is also co-host Hiral Patel's sister, also discusses her sister's diagnosis and provides advice to others on how to cope and support an ill family member. We hope you enjoy this episode and don't forget to follow us on Instagram- @HealthChroniclesPodcast!

Let's dive into Romantic Relationships as we share our experiences dating including successes, obstacles, and recommendations. It can be a challenge at times to live with chronic illness and find a partner that you can be vulnerable with, so we have tips to support you in overcoming this challenge. Tune in and hear more of our experiences with dating in this episode. Shout to @worldkidneyday as we celebrate kidney awareness month :)

In this episode, we talk to Hannah, a heart transplant recipient, on her advocacy, her lifestyle coaching, living child free and much more. Be sure to follow Hannah on her official Instagrams, @transplanttribe and @thewomxnhood for more details on her journey! Thank you Hannah for joining us. We hope you enjoy this episode.

In this episode we had Sejal joining us as our guest speaker - Sejal is a kidney and pancreas transplant patient who received her transplants in 2009 and again in 2019. She is currently a Senior Program Coordinator in cardiovascular research at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. We discussed her life journey with type 1 diabetes, how she ended up needing a pancreas and kidney transplant and her passion for medical research.

Let's dive into the expectations versus reality of pre and post-transplantation. We discuss the in's and out's of surgery, pre-transplant work-up, donor letters, and so much more!

Transitions can be anxiety inducing! And in this first episode of Season 2, we each speak into how we've been managing transitions with our health journey, the ups & downs, lessons learnt and what has kept us going. Speaking of transitions, we'd like to shout-out Suleika Jaouad who is a NYT bestselling author and chronic illness warrior. Her book “Between Two Kingdoms” is a memoir of how her life was interrupted by cancer. She's also the creator of the Isolation Journals, a journaling community that empowers people to turn life's challenges into creative writing. We highly recommend her book if you haven't had a chance to read it yet! https://linktr.ee/suleikajaouad?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=4da27c49-a662-4525-a7b0-58438ce94804

Episode 15 focuses on how Exercise, Fitness, and Nutrition are crucial to your well-being. Our guest, Mimi Kroger, is a fellow kidney transplant, personal trainer, nutritionist, and behavior change coach, shares knowledge and tips on how she supports clients in living a healthier, more balanced life Tune in to listen to us discuss the challenges we face with diet and exercise and how we have shifted throughout the years to become more confident in understanding our bodies.

Episode 14 is focused on Travel; what you need, what to do, and how to manage your new adventure. ⁠⁠Traveling can be difficult to prepare for, but as a chronic illness patient, traveling requires more preparation.⁠⁠ In this discussion, the ladies give their tips on how to travel safely during a pandemic, maintaining your awareness and discuss their experiences on traveling as chronic illness patients. Enjoy!

In this episode we share our honest truth about our journeys with weight fluctuations, skin issues, hair loss/growth due to our chronic kidney disease and the side effects of the steroids and immunosuppressants that we take post transplant. We also share openly about how this has affected our mental health and how we've been coping.

Megan Cairns has been a kidney patient since the age of 5. Her journey as a young CKD patient has led to her passion for organ transplantation awareness and bringing attention to mental health issues facing chronic illness patients in her home country of Ireland and abroad. Tune in to hear her inspiring story.

The ladies have a discussion on their experience with navigating through the tough world of health insurance as chronic illness patients and give helpful tips on how to proceed and possibly manage your health insurance plans. 

Kidney Donor Leif Skulborstad discusses his journey to becoming a kidney donor. The selfless act of organ donation is one that many patients are dependent on and immensely grateful for. Tune in to listen to the process of organ donation, surgery, recovery, and the impact it has on an individual's life. If you have questions about the kidney donation process, please reach out to Leif Skulborstad at skullyboydfd@gmail.com.

In this episode we delved into how our relationship with our families, friends and colleagues shifted throughout the various stages of our chronic illnesses.

Health check-ups can be scary at times with the overwhelm of what to ask and what the results of your tests will show. To make the process more empowering, we share our experiences with annual and quarterly doctor's visits with what questions we ask, how we prepare, and what things to consider. We say knowledge is power, so the more you know and ask, the better you will feel about the current state of your health. Stay informed and remember that no question is a bad question.

In this episode, author and fellow Kidney warrior Mimi Kroger joins us in our discussion and shares the incredible role religion has played in her healing process, as well as other insights from the co-hosts. I hope you enjoy! Special Thanks to Mimi for joining us! To learn more about Mimi and her journey, you can follow her on Instagram: @mimikrogerauthor or visit her website http://www.mimikrogerauthor.com/ 

In this episode we dive into how our relationship with certain aspects of our religion like events and celebrations has changed for us as chronic illness patients.

Social anxiety affects many of us, especially chronic illness patients. Tune in as we share our stories of when we first experienced social anxiety and how it has shaped our lives. We also discuss the uncomfortable nuances of socializing and what tips we use to navigate social settings.

Episode four centers around anxiety; our experiences, what triggers it and how we've managed to cope. Listen here!

Getting Covid-19 can be a terrifying thought, especially for immunocompromised patients. However, co-hosts Fatou and Hiral lived through it and now share their experience with Covid-19. Tune in to hear the ladies shed light on all things Covid-19: vaccine, mental health, symptoms, and more!

Tune in to the second episode where we speak with pediatric nephrology expert Dr. Hill about pediatric vs adult care, diet and medication. Also, we discuss the COVID-19 vaccine and tips for precautionary actions.

Tune in to the first episode where we discuss living with kidney disease during covid-19 and how family and support have played into our overall health.