Archive for Veronica Giarla
Getting a little help from a game show host: How Steve Harvey became Panos’ personal tooth fairy
11-year-old Panos loves to smile and sing — but getting him to show his teeth to a dentist hasn’t always been easy. When he visited a dentist near his home for his first cleaning, the experience was a tough one. “He was overwhelmed by the new environment and refused to open his mouth,” explains his ... Read More about Getting a little help from a game show host: How Steve Harvey became Panos’ personal tooth fairy
Tagged: autism, child life, dentistry
From Florida to Boston and back again: Reagan’s liver transplant journey
Reagan, 18, is gearing up for her freshman year of college this fall, and she has a solid idea about her future career. “I hope to become a transplant nurse or a child life specialist,” she shares with a smile. Her inspiration to enter this field of medicine comes from her experiences with the care ... Read More about From Florida to Boston and back again: Reagan’s liver transplant journey
Tagged: complex care, liver disease, transplant
Calm through the storm: Connor’s ulcerative colitis journey
When you meet Connor today, he’s a confident 13-year-old who is incredibly laid back when he speaks about his complex medical condition. This school year, he plans on playing basketball and running track. “I like hanging out with my friends and traveling — now I can do all these things without being in pain.” However, ... Read More about Calm through the storm: Connor’s ulcerative colitis journey
Hurdles in health care: Navigating insurance approvals
If you’ve ever struggled with your patient’s insurance company when it came to getting their prescription filled, you’re not alone. For patients with chronic conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), newer drugs like biologics can be very effective — but also very expensive. As a result, many insurance companies have limited access to these medications ... Read More about Hurdles in health care: Navigating insurance approvals
Tagged: advocacy, gastroenterology, research
Family first: Nolan and Uncle Jon’s living donor kidney transplant
Nolan and his uncle Jon are both tall and blonde, but they now have something more in common: The two have an unbreakable bond, thanks to a selfless —and lucky — gift that changed Nolan’s life forever. The first year after Nolan was born, his primary care physician ran some blood work to try to ... Read More about Family first: Nolan and Uncle Jon’s living donor kidney transplant
Tagged: complex care, kidney failure, nutrition, surgery, transplant
New online peritoneal dialysis simulator gives the power of education to patients
For years, patients who need peritoneal dialysis, a form of home-based treatment for kidney disease, have had to educate themselves about the approach. “Many families have never heard of peritoneal dialysis prior to their child’s diagnosis,” shares Dr. Deborah Stein, a nephrologist in the Division of Nephrology at Boston Children’s Hospital. The idea of peritoneal ... Read More about New online peritoneal dialysis simulator gives the power of education to patients
Tagged: complex care, nephrology, research
Emmie’s journey with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease
Emmie knows more about her own medical history than most children her age. Her journey to finding answers started when she was just 4 years old. She woke up one day looking “like I ate a bunch of blueberries or blackberries — my lips were turning blue,” explains Emmie, now 7. Her mom, Amanda, wasted ... Read More about Emmie’s journey with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease
Tagged: advocacy, celiac disease, diabetes
How transnasal endoscopy got Jamie back on the golf course
Jamie is like most 15-year-olds — he goes to school, hangs out with his friends, and still makes time to get outside to play some golf and baseball. However, when Jamie was having bouts of throwing up and getting food stuck in his throat, he and his mom, Tricia, knew it wasn’t just a case ... Read More about How transnasal endoscopy got Jamie back on the golf course
Tagged: aerodigestive, allergy, gastroenterology
Diving into summer: What to know about water safety
The sun is back, the temperatures are rising, and that means more of us will be heading towards the water to cool off. Whether your family is going to a pool, beach, lake, or pond, knowing how to keep your children safe when splashing in the water should be top of mind. We recently spoke ... Read More about Diving into summer: What to know about water safety
Tagged: primary care, primary care alliance, safety, summer safety
One day on the field, admitted to the ICU the next: Rob’s liver transplant journey
When you’re a teen, it’s not very common to worry about what’s going on inside your body — especially not about potential organ failure. For Rob, now 14 years old, that happened in the blink of an eye. One day, he was scoring goals in soccer and hanging out with his friends. But in just ... Read More about One day on the field, admitted to the ICU the next: Rob’s liver transplant journey
Tagged: liver disease, surgery, transplant