8.7K
Downloads
140
Episodes
This Thing Called Life is a podcast about acts of giving, kindness, compassion, and humanity. Host Andi Johnson, will introduce you to powerful stories about organ, eye, and tissue donation from individuals, families and front-line health care teams, whose experiences will hopefully inspire you and remind you, that while life is hard and unpredictable, it’s also beautiful. We hope this podcast serves as a catalyst for you to register to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor.
Episodes
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
The Holidays Can Be Tough, If You Are Struggling Reach Out And Ask For Help...
Community Heroes is a special extension of This Thing Called Life’s podcast. In this series we talk to community leaders, share important information about organ and tissue donation and honor those who have been instrumental in saving lives through the gift of donation.
Resources:
https://www.griefincommon.com/
National suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
Life Center Phone # 513-558-5555
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
Episode 34: Thankful For Transplanted Lungs, A Families Journey Of Gratitude
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
During this episode of This Thing Called Life Podcast, host Andi Johnson speaks with Kris Grigsby, an incredible human being that has acted as the primary support system for a loved one. After struggling with Cystic Fibrosis for his entire life, Kris’s husband Joe had to have a lung transplant in 2012. Listen in to hear all about Kris and Joe’s inspiring story!
Episode Highlights:
- Organ donation doesn’t just affect the donor, but also changes the lives of the close friends and family.
- Not all transplant stories have a happy ending, but at the same time, not all stories end in tragedy.
- Kris’s husband Joe was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis as an infant, beating the odds and living well beyond his initial life expectancy.
- When their twins were 3-years-old, Joe was operating at only 20-30% lung capacity.
- Lung donation requires a donor that has already passed away.
- Due to Joe’s convenient blood type, Joe only had to wait just over 3 months on the waitlist before getting his transplant.
- Spending 6 weeks at the hospital for the transplant, Joe and Kris went 5 weeks without seeing their children.
- Just 16 hours after his transplant, Joe was able to walk 150 feet.
- After the transplant, Kris had to change her mindset from one of a caregiver to one of a more normal wife.
- Kris continued to work full-time throughout the entire process for insurance purposes, but it also gave her some relief.
- Both Joe and Kris, very independent humans, had to learn how to say yes when people offered help.
- It took over 2 years to connect with the donor’s family, and now Kris and Joe are very actively connected with them.
- Staying connected with the donor’s family has helped with the healing process on both sides.
- Kris and Joe’s children do not remember the time when Joe was sick and unable to live an active lifestyle.
- Going through the transplant process alone is impossible, so it’s important to accept the help that is offered.
- The transplantation process is a journey for both the donor and their family/friends.
- As a result of the different recipient and supporter groups, Joe and Kris have connected with people all over the country.
- Kris’s grandpa passed away in April unexpectedly after marrying his new wife just a year and a half before.
- The funeral home director advised Kris’s grandpa’s widow to deny the option for her deceased husband to be an organ donor.
- It should be the #1 responsibility for transplant centers and funeral homes to support the family.
- We must all advocate for ourselves and our loved ones for what’s right in the moment of a donation decision.
- Leave the decision on whether you can or cannot be a donor up to the medical professionals.
- Tissue and cornea donation has the potential to help up to 50 people from one donor, and can change/save lives.
- Science is constantly evolving and as a result, the number of people that can donate is constantly increasing.
- Transplant is not a fix-all option and it’s important to remember that there will still be rough times.
- 2020, while chaotic, has presented an opportunity for everyone to grow closer to their families.
- Faith has acted as an essential support beam throughout the transplant process and life in general for Kris.
- Support groups are incredible resources for those affected by transplantations.
3 Key Points:
- Unlike kidney and liver donation where you can have a living donor, lung donation requires a donor that is already deceased.
- Kris and Joe actually watched the accident on the news that involved Joe’s donor but didn’t know it until later.
- A misguided funeral home director gave incorrect advice to Kris’s grandpa’s widow and ultimately swayed her to turn down his option to be an organ donor.
Resources Mentioned:
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
Don’t Forget To Register For The Virtual Community Breakfast. It starts at 9am on 11-17. Register At https://lifepassiton.org/
Andi Johnson joins Lincoln Ware on WDBZ and today they discuss November Events for Life Center.
Community Heroes is a special extension of This Thing Called Life’s podcast. In this series we talk to community leaders, share important information about organ and tissue donation and honor those who have been instrumental in saving lives through the gift of donation.
Resources:
Register For Free at https://lifepassiton.org/communitybreakfast/
https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
Life Center Phone # 513-558-5555
Tuesday Nov 09, 2021
Tuesday Nov 09, 2021
November is the month of National Donor Sabbath, where people of all faiths highlight organ donation within their places of worship. During this episode of This Thing Called Life podcast, host Andi Johnson talks with Renee Paige and Sarah Green who have a beautiful connection that formed a few years ago, tune in for this inspiring story!
Episode Highlights:
- Renee and Sarah recall the details of meeting each other for the first time when they received kidney transplants from the same donor on the same day.
- They both share their belief in God and how they knew they had a connection.
- Did you know that lupus can cause renal failure? Renee shares her journey with it.
- Sarah shares what brought her to the place of needing a kidney transplant and how she wrestled with the news.
- Diabetes and hypertension are precursors to kidney disease.
- Andi emphasizes that Kidney disease is a silent killer and many want to be in denial.
- Renee recalls her thoughts about transplant donation prior to her journey with it.
- Some have a fear of death and therefore just don’t want to address the topic of organ donation.
- Sarah shares her time of working in the medical field starting as a candy striper and how she learned the purpose of organ donation.
- Renee and Sarah share about how they got to go through the whole process of receiving an organ together. They are each other’s kidney champions of support.
- If you received an organ, what would you say to your donor’s family? Renee and Sarah share their responses.
- After receiving a kidney transplant, new freedom is achieved. Renee and Sarah explain the difference between before and after.
- When you are vulnerable and share your journey, more people can relate, be encouraged, and be motivated to address their own health issues too.
- There are opportunities to advocate for the organ donation process, support others who are on that journey, and offer hope.
- How does kidney donation impact people of color?
- For those that are waiting for an organ, keep the faith. It can happen for you. Don’t feel as though you have a death sentence. When you open your eyes each day, be thankful and keep moving forward.
- By signing your name as an organ donor, you can save lives. Educate yourself on the importance of organ donation.
- There are more than 90,000 men, women, and children in need of life-saving kidney transplants in our country today.
3 Key Points:
- There are many misconceptions about organ donation that cause resistance to being organ donors. Renee and Sarah share how their viewpoints on the matter changed.
- Doctors and medical teams' only duty is to save lives. The donation piece is secondary and it’s not until death has been declared that organ donation becomes a part of the end of life conversation.
- Renee and Sarah share the limitations of living life on dialysis three days a week and the freedom they have after being given a second chance at life through kidney donation.
Resources Mentioned:
- LifeCenter | website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube| Twitter
- Andi Johnson website |LinkedIn
- Organ Donation Website
- https://www.donatelife.net/nmdam/
- Life Center’s Community Breakfast Virtual Edition will be November 17th 9-10am EST: This is a free event, open to the public, register at lifepassiton.org.
Tuesday Nov 02, 2021
Tuesday Nov 02, 2021
Life Center’s Community Breakfast, Will Be Virtual This Year On November 17, 2021 at 9am. Join us To Hear Some Amazing Uplifting Stories
Community Heroes is a special extension of This Thing Called Life’s podcast. In this series we talk to community leaders, share important information about organ and tissue donation and honor those who have been instrumental in saving lives through the gift of donation.
Resources:
Register For Free at https://lifepassiton.org/communitybreakfast/
https://www.facebook.com/LifeCenterOH
Life Center Phone # 513-558-5555