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This Thing Called Life is a podcast dedicated to acts of giving, kindness, compassion, and humanity. Host Andi Johnson introduces you to powerful organ, tissue, and eye donation stories from individuals, families, and front-line healthcare teams. These stories are meant to inspire and remind you that while life can be challenging and unpredictable, it’s also incredibly beautiful. We hope this podcast inspires you to connect with our life-saving and life-healing mission.
Episodes
Tuesday Feb 01, 2022
Tuesday Feb 01, 2022
On this episode of This Thing Called Life, host Andi Johnson is talking with E. Denise Peoples. She is a comedian, actress, singer, writer, producer, radio host, and motivational speaker. She is a double lung transplant recipient, and most importantly, she is a Christian. African Americans are at a higher risk of heart disease. Research suggests that African Americans may carry a gene that makes them more salt sensitive, which increases the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Tune in for her story and great knowledge.
Episode Highlights:
- In December 2000, while coming from the second floor of the house, Denise was short of breath, which lasted until February. She went to her primary doctor, and she was treated for pneumonia but nothing got better.
- Denise got diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), which at that time was an older white male smoker’s disease. The only alternative is a lung transplant or double lung transplant as this disease progresses.
- After being selected for a play audition and receiving health-related confirmation from a pulmonologist, Denise learned a lot about her body and herself while in Paris.
- When they came home at the end of 2003, things just started going down, and the disease was progressing so fast. Denise ended up on oxygen 24 hours a day.
- One night around 10 o’clock Denise told her manager that she was so tired of living like this. Soon she had a call from the hospital and they said, “Miss Peoples, we’ve got lungs, we need you to get to the hospital.”
- The next day after surgery, Denise woke up and felt her face, but the nurse asked, “Are you looking for the cannula? She said it’s there, but you are breathing on your own.” These are the absolute best words she had heard in years.
- Andi asks Denise, “You are with New Jersey Sharing Network, which procures organs and tissue for transplant, and they have 57 OPO’s throughout the country. How did you end up there?
- Andi asks, “What do you believe is the reason why African Americans don’t register or think about being a living kidney donor?
- For COVID vaccination, many of us refuse to be vaccinated because of distrust. We want to roll the dice and do something different, and we are just seeing that’s not working, says Denise.
- When Denise got to the emergency room for the Covid swab test, sitting there and waiting for hours was the worst experience because she wondered, “Why do you have a lung transplant patient sitting with everybody else?”
- Once Denise returned home after 21 days in the hospital, she was doing good, was never on oxygen, and was always at room temperature. Her oxygen levels never went under 90. But her body was stiff, and she focused on getting her strength back.
- Andi asks, “
- As we believe in organ and tissue donation, how can we change the narrative around African Americans for kidney donation and this skepticism?
- We need to give a platform to talk about what people believe for themselves and what does your faith tell you because many faith leaders who are opposed to donation would be surprised once they dig into their word and see what it sets, says Andi.
3 Key Points:
- Denise is a Community services specialist with the NJ sharing network. She goes into all types of communities to discuss organ and tissue donation and dispel myths and misconceptions.
- When tested positive for Covid, Denise felt a knee joint pain that she hadn’t ever felt. And after two days, her hand and shoulder started swelling, and then her left-hand knuckle. After that, she was not able to walk or text.
- Denise suggests that we have to continue to spread education about donation in this world before families ever hit the ICU. The community needs those stories. Stop being so secretive that you have kidney problems.
Resources Mentioned: