Dawn Levitt Author

My Poem on Villain Era Lit

Furry Friday–Summer Hours-and a new address

We’re finally having some nice warm days here in Michigan. Gidget McFidget and Bruce Wayne are happy to frolic outside and make half-hearted attempts to catch the squirrels. They also enjoy basking in the afternoon sunshine as they lounge upon the ottoman in the front window. The warmer weather agrees with Gidget and me, butContinue reading “Furry Friday–Summer Hours-and a new address”

First-ever Kidney Xenotransplant with LVAD

A 54-year-old New Jersey woman has received both a gene-edited pig kidney transplant and a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The patient had both heart failure and end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis. Due to having several chronic medical conditions, she was not considered a candidate for a heart and kidney transplant from a human donor.Continue reading “First-ever Kidney Xenotransplant with LVAD”

Donate Life Month and Radio Interview

Listen Live to My Transplant Story April is Donate Life month and I have been remiss in not posting about it sooner. It has been a busy month at my house. I had my mid-year visit at the transplant clinic, we visited my father in Tennessee for a little while, then we got home, andContinue reading “Donate Life Month and Radio Interview”

Furry Friday – Road Trip and an Eclipse

It’s Furry Friday and I’ve missed a few Fridays since my last post. Our schedule has been quite busy, and I confess to not being the most effective time manager on the planet. So, let’s catch up on what we’ve been doing. At the beginning of April, we returned to Nashville for the mid-year checkupContinue reading “Furry Friday – Road Trip and an Eclipse”

Gender and Ethnic Disparity in Heart Transplants and Upcoming Changes in Organ Allocation

According to data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), some transplant teams showed patterns of denying donor hearts to certain patients when offers became available. The probability of a donor heart being accepted by these transplant centers was more likely for white women, followed by Black women, white men, then Black men, accordingContinue reading “Gender and Ethnic Disparity in Heart Transplants and Upcoming Changes in Organ Allocation”

Furry Friday – Snow in the Springtime

It’s the first full day of spring, and we have received a few inches of snow here in Michigan. It fills me with little joy and lots of body aches. I might have to confess to growing older. This is the current view from the window above my writing desk. I have a morning routineContinue reading “Furry Friday – Snow in the Springtime”

New Xenotransplantation Milestone for Kidneys

March is National Kidney Month, and surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital, known as Mass General, have transplanted a kidney from a genetically engineered pig into a 62-year-old man. The new kidney began producing urine shortly after the surgery last week, and the patient’s condition has improved significantly. Doctors expect the patient to be discharged soon.Continue reading “New Xenotransplantation Milestone for Kidneys”

Furry Friday – Spoiled Little Doggies

Now that we’re back from our vacation, Gidget McFidget and Bruce Wayne have resumed their lifestyle of excessive spoiling. Fresh chikkie slop flows freely, and a container of cooked chicken hearts and gizzards sits in the refrigerator for snacking. The weather has been beautiful for the past few days, and walkies have resumed. Of course,Continue reading “Furry Friday – Spoiled Little Doggies”

International Women’s Day – Literally Speaking

I know it’s Friday, and I usually post stories and pictures of my dogs to celebrate Furry Friday, but I’m interrupting today’s regularly scheduled programming for a shout out to the women writers and female characters who helped shape my writing and my life. Every year on March 8th, International Women’s Day, media outlets celebrateContinue reading “International Women’s Day – Literally Speaking”