New Transplant Blog Posts

Good morning from snowy Rochester! Today we invite you to read our new blog post honoring the incredible stories that transplant patients carry with them. Check it out, and feel free to share your story in the comments section (or here too!). https://connect.mayoclinic.org/newsfeed-post/meet-these-incredible-transplant-patients/

Good morning!
This week's blog post tells us about National Donor Day. Even though you might get flowers and cards on February 14, it holds a different meaning for transplant donors and recipients. Read more about this celebration day for organ donation.
Have a wonderful week!
-Kristin
http://mayocl.in/2s7DhJy

Hi everyone, Have you noticed there are SO many acronyms in health care - and especially in transplant? Do you recognize these: LDKT or OPTN? How about SRTR? SRTR stands for Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Today's blog post covers some background on SRTR, along with highlights from their most recent reports. Check it out and have a great day! https://connect.mayoclinic.org/newsfeed-post/january-2018-program-summary-report-highlights/

Hi everyone! In lieu of a new blog post this week, we wanted to pass along a great story recognizing the 20th anniversary of our transplant center in Florida. If you're a transplant patient that's been treated at our Jacksonville campus, or are thinking about making an appointment there, you'll enjoy this quick read highlighting this talented team's amazing accomplishments over the past 20 years. Enjoy! https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/transplant-program-at-mayo-clinics-florida-campus-celebrates-20th-anniversary/

@keggebraaten Dr. Taner sounds great. Can you imagine how gratifying it must be for these transplant surgeon's when they see their patients doing so well after transplant, patients who were miserable just before? I have what I consider to be the absolute BEST transplant surgeon, he's really great. On the way to an appointment I was thinking of how gratifying it must be for him and I mentioned that at the appointment. He got a little smile on his face, typical of him, and he agreed that it really is. At my December appointment with him he said I didn't need to come back for a year. The next week I ended up in the hospital with Legionnaire's disease. He came by to say hi and said to me "didn't I tell you I didn't want to see you for a year?".
JK

Is he related to Dr Timucin Taner at Mayo Rochester? Dr. T. Taner performed my surgery in January and I can't say enough wonderful things about him! Mayo must know the importance of having a Taner on their team.

Morning everyone! @keggebraaten and I are at our Jacksonville campus today attending a transplant summit with a number of our physicians and administrators from all three sites. What a treat to be with colleagues we don't get to see very often and hear updates about our various transplant programs. We had the opportunity yesterday to talk about Mayo Clinic Connect and all of our wonderful members - you! We encouraged our physicians to invite their patients to join us here and connect with other transplant patients who have walked in their shoes 🙂

Anyway, I popped in to flag the new blog post we just published, which is a roundup of two posts from last year our transplant pharmacists helped us develop. The posts were very popular when we posted them last year, which is why we're sharing them again for anyone who missed them the first time around. Have a great day! https://connect.mayoclinic.org/newsfeed-post/transplant-medications-everything-you-need-to-know/?hd_preview=ba6226983ea3102ed585cd3cd4b5578d

@mauraacro, thanks for the question. Dr. Timucin Taner and Dr. C. Burcin Taner are brothers. It is so unique to have these two talented transplant surgeons come from the same family - and equally unique to have them both working for Mayo Clinic. We are very lucky!
-Kristin

Thanks @kequick and @keggebraaten for sharing a kind word about us to our physicians! We will be looking forward to meeting and supporting those patients.

I remember my confusion and fear when I was learning to manage my medications for my new organs. I can assure you that it does get easier over time as it becomes a normal part of your new life.

I chose to get my medications thru the Mayo Specialty Pharmacy. They check in with me on a regular basis? They ask me: If I have any questions about my medication; if I am able to follow my prescribed medication schedule or if I would like some help; if I have concern about being able to continue my medications in the future. I am happy I did this (and my insurance does cover it) because my local folks do not know much about my anti-rejection meds.

I like to sort my medications weekly. I also purchased a pretty pill box that I can carry in my purse for special social events! -just for fun:-)

Whether you are a recent recipient, or a not so recent transplant recipient, What are some suggestions or questions that you have experienced?

Rosemary

@rosemarya I get my immunosuppressant through CVS Specialty Pharmacy in Boston. MGH of course does have a pharmacy but I suspect they deal with CVS because CVS ships the drugs to the patient. They were shipping them to my home but that was a bit of a pain to have to schedule a morning or afternoon at home to be here to sign for them so now I have them shipped to a CVS right here in town.
I have one of those weekly pill containers and I purchased some little pill bags at Walgreens that I use when I need to take the pills with me. They are very convenient. I know I mentioned this before, but I don't know what I would do without my alarm on my phone to remind to take my pills. This morning I had my pills with me but I know I would have forgotten to take them if my alarm had not gone off. I was heading to my health club so I had water with me to take them.
For these pharmaceuticals, Medicare covers them, not regular prescription coverage. I have no idea why this is so, but it is.
If someone is "sharing a kind word about us" to our physicians I wish they could to my PCP. 😉 I think he doesn't like me much because I ask questions and he must realize that I feel there was no excuse for him not diagnosing my cirrhosis for a year and a half. As more time goes by and I learn more about symptoms I realize even more that he blew it. From what I have been told a doctor of internal medicine should have been able to diagnose me. I think the fact that I looked good caused them him/them to assume it was not physical.
JK