The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 47 COVID patients today, 54 Wednesday. Other significant numbers:

•  20 with the active virus today, 23 Wednesday
•  4 in ICU, 3 Wednesday
•  4 on a ventilator, 3 Wednesday

Key points from today’s guests:

Stephanie Reynolds, patient, breast cancer survivor

• Diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoing a double mastectomy 10 years ago, she is in full remission, but still battles the effects of cancer.
• Her body rejected breast implants from another hospital years ago and procedures since then have come with complications.
• Her doctors at The University of Kansas Health System have been working with her to make her feel more comfortable in her own body.
• She said a great support network, and the Kansas City Chiefs, have helped her along this journey and she is grateful for all of the support.

Dr. Julie Holding, plastic surgeon, The University of Kansas Health System

• Each woman is different when it comes to how to handle their body after a mastectomy.
• A lot of patient satisfaction is really about education -- understanding the options that are available, the risks and benefits with all of it, and knowing that they don't have to do anything -- but if they do, there are options for them to help.
• It's really more about trying to just set up a realistic expectation that we've got a foundation that we have to establish and then once we get there, we can build upon it in the reconstruction phases.
• There are pros and cons to using silicone or saline and it comes down to what the patient wants to do once they understand more about each option.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, director of infection and prevention control, The University of Kansas Health System

• A committee of advisors to the FDA voted unanimously yesterday on a proposal to simplify the nation's strategy for vaccinating people against COVID-19. This might lead to recommendation to get the COVID booster in the fall, ahead of the influenza season, so people can get both of those at once.
• There were a couple of articles this week, including one in the New England Journal of Medicine, that did show the benefits of the bivalent boosters -- even benefits over the monovalent boosters as far as giving a little bit more protection, at least in the short term, against infection. This did include also the XBB variant.
• The main goal of the vaccine is to build up that immunity to protect you from hospitalization and severe disease, and of course death, and the earliest data right now does show those beneficial effects.

Monday January 30 is the next live broadcast of the Morning Medical Update. Imagine having cancer as a child, then having to get all new doctors as an adult. Coming of age changed everything for patient Alex Dinkel, and we’ll show how a unique transition program is helping him receive life long care.

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