Baby steps to NxStage

[Sara]

Been talking to Joe about it and PD.  At this point I don't think PD will work for us, although we can always discuss it in the future.  Joe has said he is open to learning about NxStage.  Put a call in to the regional NxStage rep.  He called back, there's 2 centers in our town that are offering training.  Davita and DCI.  From all the Davita stories on here, my first inclination is to try DCI.  However, I've been waiting over a week to hear back from them.  Call the rep again today and he says he'll give my info to Davita.  They call in an hour.     They are in process of building their center in town so it will run out of a nephrology office for the meantime.  The trainer is just completing HER training, but I guess that means it will be fresh on her mind, right?  There is a possibility Joe could start training in mid-June.  The Davita regional guy said typically, training is 2-3 hours per day, 5 days a week for about 2 weeks.  To teach and develop buttonhole cannulation could take up to an additional 2-3 weeks. 

[skyedogrocks]

Hey Sara,

Yeah for looking into it!  Rob's center is DCI and they are great.  His nurse is a doll and they take care of the items that Nx Stage doesn't give you, like Syringes, tape, gloves, hephron, epo, needles, etc.  We don't have to pay a penny for it.

I can't say anything about DaVita since I don't have any experience with them.  I do know that there is only one DCI unit in MA because DaVita took the Nx Stage over.  The Nx Stage reps are super nice.  In fact, their headquarters are 2 towns over from me! 

If Joe is thinking about Nx Stage, definitely have his center start teaching him how to self-cannulate.  It will help when he starts his training.  Rob wasn't able to do that and did his training in 3 weeks.  His buttonholes are pretty good now and hopefully within a month, he won't have to use a sharp needle, he can use the blunt.


Rob is on for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours, depending on how much fluid he has on.  Most of the time it's a kilo or less so he's on for 2 1/2 hours.  His nurse got him down to 5 days a week, so when he dialyzes after his off days, he usually has about 2 kilo's on.

It's a lot to get used to at first.  I don't needle him and I don't think I ever will.  I worry about touching the ends of lines all the time (in fact I touched one tonight for the first time), but it gets easier the more you are on it.

[Black]

... From all the Davita stories on here, my first inclination is to try DCI.  However, I've been waiting over a week to hear back from them. ...

I would go with your first inclination.  Mike is with DCI and they have been easy to work with.  They are a "non-profit" and have not charged us anything.  Because we don't have insurance, they have written off what Medicare doesn't cover.  As skyedogrocks said, they are generous with supplies.  The staff was very helpful in getting us additional $$ for some of our expenses incurred during our stay in Charleston for training.

Mike started in February and he has seen the nephrologist twice for long sit down consultations and the nutritionist has been to see him twice.  The home unit nurse has called to check on us (long distance) 3 or 4 times.

If I were in your shoes I'd check out the DCI clinic in person, and talk to the staff face to face.

[Adam_W]

I'm almost done with my NxStage training (in fact, we unboxed and assembled my actual cycler today, and ran it through a prime cycle with a cartridge to make sure it worked), and I'm with Davita. I don't necessarily agree with some of Davita's shenanigans throughout upper management, but my Davita health care team (training nurse, social worker, dietitian) are absolutely WONDERFUL. They do whatever they can to make all of their patients (and our training partners) feel comfortable and satisfied. I made a couple really stupid mistakes in the beginning (like dropping my arterial line on the floor when I first took myself off), but the nurse just smiled and said "don't worry, it happens to the best of us" and we corrected the problems and moved on. No one ever has made me feel like an idiot if I make a mistake. I can honestly say that I am no longer a "Duh-Vita basher" because I've had nothing but good experiences with them.

Adam   

[Sluff]

Been talking to Joe about it and PD.  At this point I don't think PD will work for us, although we can always discuss it in the future.  Joe has said he is open to learning about NxStage.  Put a call in to the regional NxStage rep.  He called back, there's 2 centers in our town that are offering training.  Davita and DCI.  From all the Davita stories on here, my first inclination is to try DCI.  However, I've been waiting over a week to hear back from them.  Call the rep again today and he says he'll give my info to Davita.  They call in an hour.     They are in process of building their center in town so it will run out of a nephrology office for the meantime.  The trainer is just completing HER training, but I guess that means it will be fresh on her mind, right?  There is a possibility Joe could start training in mid-June.  The Davita regional guy said typically, training is 2-3 hours per day, 5 days a week for about 2 weeks.  To teach and develop buttonhole cannulation could take up to an additional 2-3 weeks. 

Thats great news Sara give Joe my regards and luck 

[Bill Peckham]

To me the modality is what matters and I think once a person tries more frequent dialysis they'll want to find a way to keep doing it.

Way to go