Kidney disease, dialysis, need our attention, too

[okarol]

Kidney disease, dialysis, need our attention, too

August 3, 2007 12:35 am
The Free-Lance Star

To the Editor:

Cathy Chisholm's letter to the editor was well-said ["Fund the fight against killer named cancer," July 12].

Another challenge is finding a cure for kidney disease. Dialysis treatment needs to be done three times a week, and over a period of time the patient's immune system is compromised and infections occur. Many foods have to be avoided, and intake of fluids has to be watched. The access area on the body for treatment many times gets clogged and necessitates a visit to the hospital to get cleaned.

My husband passed away after eight years on dialysis. It was a struggle.

On Feb. 27, Congress introduced the Kidney Care Quality and Education Act of 2007. Beginning Jan. 1, 2008, patient care dialysis technicians will be required to complete training and become nationally certified.

Facilities will be required to give performance reviews and education in the clinic for technicians. Hopefully this will improve the quality of care for patients on dialysis.
Helen Pfohl Spotsylvania Copyright 2007 The Free Lance-Star Publishing Company.