Ep17: COVID-19 Patients: The Lab Saved My Life

COVID-19 presents in a variety of ways, and hearing survivors’ stories helps us understand its complexities. For those of us who have experienced the virus firsthand, sharing our own stories helps us heal. 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by three ASCP Patient Champions. Ms. Cathrine Solomon, RN, Transplant Coordinator for Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, Ms. Lynnette Chakkaphak, MS, MT(ASCP), Director of Clinical Operations at St. Vincent’s HealthCare in Jacksonville, Florida, and Mr. Anthony Reed, CEO of Kidney Trails and kidney transplant recipient. 

Our panelists describe the COVID symptoms they experienced, explaining the steps they took to protect their families and how their backgrounds in healthcare informed the way they managed the illness. Listen in for Ms. Solomon, Ms. Chakkaphak, and Mr. Reed’s insight on making the decision to get vaccinated for the virus and learn about the role laboratory professionals play in saving people’s lives.

 Topics Covered  

·  Symptoms the panelists or their family members experienced that made them suspect they had COVID
·  The long-hauler phenomenon
·  How a background in laboratory medicine can help understand what was happening and ask the right questions
·  The challenges of Mr. Reed’s COVID journey in light of his history as a transplant patient
·  The steps our panelists took to protect themselves and their families from contracting the virus
·  Ms. Solomon’s harrowing story of losing both parents to COVID while she suffered from the virus herself
·  Ms. Solomon and Ms. Chakkaphak’s experience with COVID convalescent plasma donation
·  The COVID treatments received during hospitalizations
·  How Ms. Solomon’s experience as an RN informed her ability to navigate the virus
·  Making the decision to get the COVID vaccine and the minor side effects experienced
·  How COVID highlights the role laboratory professionals play in saving people’s lives 

Connect with ASCP 

ASCP
ASCP on Facebook
ASCP on Instagram
ASCP on Twitter

Connect with Ms. Solomon 

Ms. Solomon on LinkedIn
Ms. Solomon on Instagram 

Connect with Ms. Chakkaphak 

Ms. Chakkaphak on LinkedIn
Ms. Chakkaphak on Twitter 

Connect with Mr. Reed

Kidney Trails
Mr. Reed on LinkedIn 

Connect with Ms. Swails & Dr. Mulder 

Ms. Swails on Twitter
Dr. Mulder on Twitter 

Resources 

Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store
ASCP Patient Champions
Anthony’s COVID Experience on the Kidney Trails Blog