TMC PULSE

17 t m c p u l s e | j u ly 2 02 0 unknown respiratory illness. Now, every donor is tested for COVID. Between those three criteria, we make a decision about whether we would accept those organs or not." Transplant candidates are also screened with nasal swabs. Both donors and recipients also may receive a bronchoscopy, an endoscopic visualiza- tion of the airways, as well as a chest CT scan that might reveal COVID-19 characteristics in those who are asymptomatic. Bynon participates in conference calls to share ideas with other TMC surgeons, including Osama Gaber, M.D., director of the J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center at Houston Methodist; John Goss, M.D., director of liver transplanta- tion at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center; and Christine O'Mahony, M.D., surgical director of kidney transplantation at Baylor St. Luke's and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. Goss and O'Mahony are also on the transplant teams at Texas Children's Hospital. Bynon has been tethered to an international online discussion of "fascinating" threads, he said, from transplant surgeons around the world. Early on, he was particularly intrigued by comments from colleagues in Italy and China. He's up at 5:30 every morning reading their dispatches and advice, then jumps back online after dinner. "That kind of ready access to information is vital for your patients," he said. "We have a lot of unknowns." LifeGift expecting new normal Donors and transplants reached all-time highs in 2019, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the nonprofit that manages the country's organ transplant system under contract from the U.S. government. In 2020, transplants nationwide declined in mid-March and began to fall behind last year's record trajectory in early April. While the number of weekly transplants nationwide hovered around 800 for the first two months of 2020, that number dipped to between 400 and 600 per week by the middle of March. It took until the first week of June for the nation's weekly transplants to exceed 800 again. In that vein, operations also have picked up in LifeGift's operating region. "Transplant centers are increasing transplants again in our area and specifically in the TMC," Myer said. "We think, by July, we will be back to a new normal." NOW - JULY 31 ST Summer time is officially here and Meridiana is offering $3,000 OFF selected homesites. Now is the time to find your perfect NEW home from the low $200s to $600s. VISIT MERIDIANATEXAS.COM to learn more. *Reduced price offer of $3,000 is the responsibility of the participating builder. For the promotion to be applied, participants must initially present the flyer at a participating builder's model home. Purchaser must sign the initial earnest money contract between 7/1/2020 – 7/31/2020 and close by 8/31/2020 for completed inventory homes, or close 30 days after completion for a planned inventory home. One offer is allowed per contract. Offer is on select homesites, as identified by the participating builder. Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Participants acknowledge that the contact and other information provided on any promotion form may be used by Meridiana and shared with the homebuilders who are constructing homes within Meridiana's community, and by entering such information consents to Meridiana so using such contact and other information. All contact and other information collected by Meridiana as part of the promotion is subject to Meridiana's privacy policy. (07/20)

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