The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 54 COVID patients today, 47 Monday. Other significant numbers:
- 27 with the active virus today, 24 Monday
- 5 in ICU, 5 Monday
- 2 on a ventilator, 2 Monday
Key points from today’s guests:
Xavier Cunningham, former patient
- Five years ago, when he was 10, bees chased him out of a treehouse and he fell to the ground where a rotisserie skewer pierced his face and embedded into his skull.
- His story made national headlines as doctors at The University of Kansas Health System treated him.
- As a Marvel fan, he thought about what a comic book character would do if this happened to him, and that helped Xavier stay calm after it happened.
- The experience inspired him to look into a medical career.
Shannon Miller, Xavier’s dad
- It was a miraculous experience to live through.
- The family has kept the skewer as a reminder of their faith as a family and a symbol of the community who rallied around them and helped them rebound from this event.
- Shown a clip from five years ago when Xavier left the hospital with a huge sendoff from the staff, Shannon said the family is going to treasure those relationships and experiences forever.
- It’s so nice when you're in a position of emergency and you know a life is on the line to have such great people taking care of our kids.
Dr. Koji Ebersole, endovascular neurosurgeon, The University of Kansas Health System
- We had to leverage the expertise of so many different elements and so many health experts to try to come together to solve this for Xavier.
- We had to plan for an unprecedented situation – you won’t find this in the textbooks.
- After being at two other hospitals, Xavier arrived at The University of Kansas Health System with the skewer still protruding from his head at around midnight. Doctors waited until the full medical team assembled to start the process of removing it.
- Xavier’s story inspires people every day. Just a week ago, one of the medical students said the reason that they went into this specific field is because they saw this story on the news five years ago.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, The University of Kansas Health System
- It was recently announced that the U.S. government is going to stop buying COVID vaccines directly from companies, meaning in most cases, your insurance company will be picking up that cost.
- A potential increased cost or issues with uninsured may end up reducing vaccination rates.
- Booster vaccination rates are already at a very low rate anyways. Until that current supply dwindles or expires, there still will be plenty of booster vaccines overall.
Wednesday, February 8, is the next Open Mics with Dr. Stites. Learn how doctors discovered and fixed the sudden change in one woman's personality that not only saved her life, it saved her marriage.
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