Rob Stein

Yeah, this is a big moment. They check to see if blood from Tawana's body is flowing into the pig kidney for the first time.

Yeah, this is a big moment. They check to see if blood from Tawana's body is flowing into the pig kidney for the first time.

Yeah, this is a big moment. They check to see if blood from Tawana's body is flowing into the pig kidney for the first time.

Oh, thank goodness.

Oh, thank goodness.

Oh, thank goodness.

Yeah, it was very dramatic. They then checked to make sure the kidney was doing its job, which was producing urine. And then she was discharged from the hospital less than two weeks after the surgery, which is earlier than they expected. And yeah, and then I went to visit her at an apartment where she's staying for, you know, probably about three months, not far from the hospital.

Yeah, it was very dramatic. They then checked to make sure the kidney was doing its job, which was producing urine. And then she was discharged from the hospital less than two weeks after the surgery, which is earlier than they expected. And yeah, and then I went to visit her at an apartment where she's staying for, you know, probably about three months, not far from the hospital.

Yeah, it was very dramatic. They then checked to make sure the kidney was doing its job, which was producing urine. And then she was discharged from the hospital less than two weeks after the surgery, which is earlier than they expected. And yeah, and then I went to visit her at an apartment where she's staying for, you know, probably about three months, not far from the hospital.

So the doctors can keep an eye on her. And I have to say, she is in amazing spirits. Most of the symptoms that had limited her before the surgery had disappeared.

So the doctors can keep an eye on her. And I have to say, she is in amazing spirits. Most of the symptoms that had limited her before the surgery had disappeared.

So the doctors can keep an eye on her. And I have to say, she is in amazing spirits. Most of the symptoms that had limited her before the surgery had disappeared.

Yet, Juana says she'll never forget the first time she peed after the surgery. It was the first time she'd been able to do that in almost eight years.

Yet, Juana says she'll never forget the first time she peed after the surgery. It was the first time she'd been able to do that in almost eight years.

Yet, Juana says she'll never forget the first time she peed after the surgery. It was the first time she'd been able to do that in almost eight years.

And she's really looking forward to spending more time with her daughters and grandchildren once she can go home and returning to her job as a cashier at Dollar General, an activity she just couldn't do before.

And she's really looking forward to spending more time with her daughters and grandchildren once she can go home and returning to her job as a cashier at Dollar General, an activity she just couldn't do before.

And she's really looking forward to spending more time with her daughters and grandchildren once she can go home and returning to her job as a cashier at Dollar General, an activity she just couldn't do before.

Oh, absolutely. You know, I talked to other scientists and bioethicists who said there's not a ton of scientific evidence to support these kinds of surgeries. Elsa Johnson is a bioethicist at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. And she told me she's worried about the health of the pigs and about people getting these treatments.

Oh, absolutely. You know, I talked to other scientists and bioethicists who said there's not a ton of scientific evidence to support these kinds of surgeries. Elsa Johnson is a bioethicist at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. And she told me she's worried about the health of the pigs and about people getting these treatments.