Rob Stein

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.

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.

And she says the way it's happening now with individual experiments, all different teams and protocols and organs and different genetic modifications is not the best way to do science. Hmm. Plus, she worries that these operations might be exploiting patients who are desperate for anything that could help them.

And she says the way it's happening now with individual experiments, all different teams and protocols and organs and different genetic modifications is not the best way to do science. Hmm. Plus, she worries that these operations might be exploiting patients who are desperate for anything that could help them.

And she says the way it's happening now with individual experiments, all different teams and protocols and organs and different genetic modifications is not the best way to do science. Hmm. Plus, she worries that these operations might be exploiting patients who are desperate for anything that could help them.

She's also concerned about the possibility of transmitting viruses from animals to patients, even something that could potentially be transmitted from person to person. The fear is another pandemic. In fact, everyone in the operating room that day, including me, is being tested to make sure we didn't catch a big virus.

She's also concerned about the possibility of transmitting viruses from animals to patients, even something that could potentially be transmitted from person to person. The fear is another pandemic. In fact, everyone in the operating room that day, including me, is being tested to make sure we didn't catch a big virus.

She's also concerned about the possibility of transmitting viruses from animals to patients, even something that could potentially be transmitted from person to person. The fear is another pandemic. In fact, everyone in the operating room that day, including me, is being tested to make sure we didn't catch a big virus.

Yeah, tell me about it. But on the other hand, patients like Tawana are out of other options.

Yeah, tell me about it. But on the other hand, patients like Tawana are out of other options.

Yeah, tell me about it. But on the other hand, patients like Tawana are out of other options.

That's the big question. And, you know, Gina, we're in uncharted territory here. No one really knows what's going to happen. In fact, after being discharged early to an apartment near the hospital, Kawana was back in the hospital for a few days because she had to get an additional anti-rejection drug. Yeah, that was a little worrisome. But her pig kidney is still working well, it seems.

That's the big question. And, you know, Gina, we're in uncharted territory here. No one really knows what's going to happen. In fact, after being discharged early to an apartment near the hospital, Kawana was back in the hospital for a few days because she had to get an additional anti-rejection drug. Yeah, that was a little worrisome. But her pig kidney is still working well, it seems.

That's the big question. And, you know, Gina, we're in uncharted territory here. No one really knows what's going to happen. In fact, after being discharged early to an apartment near the hospital, Kawana was back in the hospital for a few days because she had to get an additional anti-rejection drug. Yeah, that was a little worrisome. But her pig kidney is still working well, it seems.