The Kidneycast

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A podcast in which Ari and Larra discuss his experiences with Alport Syndrome and his three kidney transplants.

Larra Morris and Ari Decherd


    • May 13, 2019 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 54m AVG DURATION
    • 33 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Kidneycast

    Episode 33: Ten Year Kidneyversary

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2019 20:03


    Ari is celebrating 10 years with his kidney transplant! He looks back at the decade since his transplant and talks about what it's like to make it to ten years. (And we encourage everyone to BECOME AN ORGAN DONOR)

    Kidneycast Episode 32: The Big Sick, Zombies, and Vacation

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2017 32:25


    The Kidneycast is back again to recommend The Big Sick, and talk about how we related to the story and loved how it was told. We also chat a bit about zombies and how Ari's transplant has allowed us to have adventures that wouldn't have been possible on dialysis.

    Kidneycast Episode 31: Last Week Tonight’s Report on Dialysis

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2017 28:18


    The Kidneycast rides again! We're back to talk about the recent episode of "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" with the segment about private dialysis clinics. Ari and Larra talk about his experiences with the companies mentioned in the report, and how it felt to watch the episode. We also check in on how Ari's been feeling since our last regular episode.

    Kidneycast Episode 30: The Last Episode (For Now)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2017 46:11


    Our last regular episode! We wrap things up by talking about Ari's current day-to-day health with his current transplant and offer some closing thoughts about his experiences with his disease and what we've learned from making "The Kidneycast". Don't worry! We'll be back someday if anything new crops up with Ari's health or any transplant and Alport Syndrome news warrants discussion.

    Kidneycast Episode 29: Cytomegalovirus and #NephJC

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2017 53:03


    We talk about Ari's most recent hospital stay and his experiences with CMV. We also discuss participating in the #NephJC chat about trying to make sure young transplant patients take their medication, and a new initiative from the National Kidney Foundation.

    Kidneycast Episode 28: Talking About the Money

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2017 52:53


    What does the financial side of chronic illness look like? Ari and Larra talk about insurance, disability and welfare programs and take some time to discuss the Affordable Care Act.

    Kidneycast Episode 27: Kidneys and Organ Transplants in the News

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2017 43:27


    There's been some new transplant news in 2017! We spend this episode discussing France's new opt-out organ donation system (and why we think it's a better idea than an opt-in system). We also discuss a recent transplant op-ed piece we disagreed with and talk about why we think a pay-for-organs policy would be a terrible idea.

    Kidneycast Episode 26: Coping

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2017 66:18


    How do you cope with a serious chronic illness like Alport Syndrome? This week, Ari shares his coping strategies and challenges, talking about what has worked for him and how other people in his life have helped (and occasionally, hindered).

    Kidneycast Episode 25: “Hey, When Are You Guys Going to Have Kids?”

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2016 65:35


    This week, Ari and Larra talk about their decision not to have children and how Ari's disease factored into their choice. Plus: a related discussion of one of Ari's crazier surgeries. (This episode contains some discussion related to reproductive health.)

    Kidneycast Episode 24: Proving Yourself and Proving Something TO Yourself

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2016 53:41


    Ari talks about working to finally earn his undergraduate and masters degrees and start teaching music (his dream job!) after his third kidney transplant and feeling like he needed to prove himself after all those years of being unable to attend school or manage a challenging career. He talks about what he was able to achieve.

    Kidneycast Episode 23: Making the Most of the Kidney Transplant

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2016 49:36


    Ari's third kidney transplant means new opportunities and options in his life that weren't possible living on dialysis. In this episode, we talk about going back to college in your 30s. We also discuss how the double-blind anonymous donor system works and what donors and organ recipients are allowed to know about one another and how they communicate (if they wish to).

    Kidneycast Episode 22: Ari’s Third Kidney Transplant

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2016 59:11


    On May 11, 2009, Ari got an early morning phone call that changed everything. This is the story of Ari's unexpected third kidney transplant from an anonymous deceased donor.

    Kidneycast Episode 21: with SPECIAL GUESTS Martha and Glenn

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2016 56:41


    We're so excited to have Ari's parents as guests this week on the Kidneycast! Martha and Glenn talk about their experiences as the parents of a child with Alport Syndrome and Martha's own experiences with the disease and her kidney transplant. (Audio is a little different for this episode, as we recorded our guests via Skype.)

    Kidneycast Episode 20: Turning the Tables

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2016 57:40


    We're switching things up this time! The Kidneycast gets a host transplant as Ari takes his turn as the interviewer and asks Larra about being the partner/spouse of a person with a chronic illness.

    Kidneycast Episode 19: Dialysis and the City

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2016 54:10


    The kidney and transplant doctors in NYC work a bit differently than Ari's previous ones. In this episode, Ari talks about meeting the rest of his new team and about making the most of life in New York while on dialysis.

    Kidneycast Episode 18: If You Can Have End Stage Renal Disease There, You Can Have End Stage Renal Disease Anywhere

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2016 59:24


    Ari and Larra talk about moving his home dialysis set-up from Seattle to New York. They also tell one last Seattle story about a potential kidney transplant that didn't happen for Ari.

    Kidneycast Episode 17: Organ Transplants and Donation in Pop Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2016 65:58


    Larra and Ari talk about the portrayal of organ donation and transplants in fiction and popular culture. What do fictional portrayals get wrong and why does it matter?

    Kidneycast Episode 16: Cross Country with Home Hemo

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2016 61:41


    How do you travel across the country with a home hemo machine? Ari explains the process and also talks about his mother's experiences with Alport Syndrome and her kidney transplant.

    Kidneycast Episode 15: Home Hemodialysis

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2016 56:01


    Ari talks all about home hemodialysis. He explains how it's different from in-center dialysis, the kind of training he received as a patient, and how dialyzing at home changed his life.

    Kidneycast Episode 14: Day to Day on Dialysis

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2016 65:55


    Ari describes what life is like while doing in-center hemodialysis three times a week. He talks about the side effects of dialysis, traveling while on dialysis, and answers listener questions about his hearing aids (and how he wakes up in the morning with a hearing impairment).

    Kidneycast Episode 13: Love and Renal Failure

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2016 54:22


    Ari discusses life after the failure of his second kidney transplant and the best of times/worst of times scenario he experienced. He talks about his move to Seattle, changing doctors and medical teams, and going back on hemo dialysis. In response to listener questions, Ari and Larra offer their advice for anyone dealing with a longterm hospital stay.

    Kidneycast Episode 12: The Alport Syndrome Foundation Meeting in New Jersey

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2016 61:09


    Ari and Larra report back from the Alport Syndrome Foundation Family Meeting! Ari talks about what it was like to meet people outside his family who share his disease and discusses the information and emotions from the event.

    Kidneycast Episode 11: The Story We Don't Tell

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2016 64:13


    In one of our most challenging episodes to record, we talk about the failure of Ari's second transplant and his struggles with other medical issues and drug side effects that occurred at the same time.

    Kidneycast Episode 10: This Weather is Really Messing with My Blood Pressure

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2016 66:33


    After spending a month in the hospital, Ari takes a term off from school to try and recover. When he returns to Central Washington University, school is going rather well. But some bad weather and the side effects of one of his medications combine to create a scary situation.

    Kidneycast Episode 9: We Need to ACCOMMODATE You!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2016 61:25


    After receiving his second transplant from his uncle Michael, Ari is determined to get back to school, earn his degree, and become a music teacher. He talks about what it's like to get back to school later in life (and with a chronic illness) and some of the health issues that cropped up for him during this time. We also get to hear from Ari's uncle Michael via email and he recommends some resources for living donors. Including: http://www.livingdonorsonline.org

    Kidneycast Episode 8: Moving On with a New Transplant

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2016 63:53


    After Ari's second kidney transplant, he and his medical team took steps to improve the new organ's chances in his body. He talks about those procedures, the future plans he made now that he had a working kidney again, and other medical issues that came up during this time.

    Kidneycast Episode 7: Ari’s Second Transplant

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2016 55:37


    In transplant preparation class, Ari learned that he had become a cautionary tale. He talks about that and his second kidney transplant (donated by his uncle Michael). With no listener mail to stop them, Larra and Ari get pretty geeky at the close of the episode.

    Kidneycast Episode 6: Life After Transplant Failure

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2016 62:08


    What happens after your kidney transplant fails? Ari talks about life after his transplant failed and he had to drop out of college, including experiences with in-center dialysis.

    Kidneycast Episode 5: The Failure of Ari's First Transplant

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2016 50:51


    Larra and Ari discuss the failure of his first transplant. The conversation and stories in this episode are on the bleak side, so we attempt to provide balance with singing and a brief discussion of an animated children's film.

    Kidneycast Episode 4: Kidney Goes to College

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2016 62:56


    Larra talks to Ari about his life right after his first transplant surgery. He discusses how being a transplant recipient (and having a chronic illness) affected his first year of college.

    Kidneycast Episode 3: Ari’s First Transplant

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2016 59:49


    Ari discusses his first transplant. Larra gives Ari a quiz on misconceptions about organ donation and transplants.

    Kidneycast Episode 2: Growing Up with Alports

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2016 66:24


    Ari talks about growing up with Alport Syndrome, when his family became aware of his condition and how his and their understanding of the disease evolved as he grew up. He talks about being sick as a kid, his hearing loss, and how his health grew steadily worse and impacted his education. This episode covers the kidney-related side of Ari's life from birth to age 19 (leading up to his first transplant.)

    Kidneycast Episode 1: Welcome to the Kidneycast!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2016 32:19


    Our very first episode! Larra and Ari introduce themselves and the podcast, talk about Ari's genetic condition (Alport Syndrome), and give an overview of his medical history.

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