Given freedom to travel (on dialysis)

Published: Saturday, July 12, 2008

Given freedom to travel

By KYLE STUCKER Staff Writer
kstucker@nashuatelegraph.com

NASHUA – Harvey Wells has traveled across the country in an RV with his grandchildren, stopping at famous tourist spots such as Niagara Falls, the White House and Graceland.

The remarkable part about the road trips, other than historic landmarks, is that the 56-year-old Texan tours the country while he administers dialysis treatments six days a week for chronic kidney disease.

"When I went on dialysis, I made a conscientious effort that I was gonna to spend as much time with my kids and grandkids as I could, when I could," said Wells.

Wells, who currently lives in Oregon but said his roots are in Texas, made a stop at DaVita Nashua Dialysis on Friday to provide personal experiences about his NxStage home dialysis machine, as well as a demonstration on how to use it.

The visit was a part of a 45-day trip across the country, which included stopping at multiple dialysis centers as well as monuments and tourist destinations.

"I'm enjoying this, and feel like I'm helping people by getting awareness out there," said Wells. "I came up with the idea of maybe combining the two things, and not only having fun with (my grandchildren) on the road but let them know that you may suffer from a disease or an illness, you can still go on and do as much with your life as you want to. At the same time you can help others, so they can see what you're doing and maybe give them some hope."

Wells first began dialysis in 1998, and six months later received a kidney transplant. When the transplant failed in January 2006, Wells began additional rounds of in-center dialysis before switching to home hemodialysis with the NxStage system in March. He said the equipment gives him much more flexibility, as he is able to decide when to administer the 2-1/2-hour treatments rather than be confined to a strict clinic schedule.

"Prior to starting on it I had very low energy," said Wells. "I was a typical in-center dialysis patient that was living the ups and downs and the swings of having dialysis treatments three times a week. You feel good basically on the alternate days, and you always had to plan your life around going to the center."

Twenty-six million Americans suffer from kidney disease, and 20 million more are at risk for the disease, according to NxStage's Web site.

Mary Abelleira, the home hemo coordinator at DaVita, said more than 350,000 Americans are currently on dialysis, and the number is expected to increase to 600,000 over the next 10 years.

The biggest problem people on dialysis face, other than time management issues caused by rigid in-clinic dialysis appointments, is overcoming the taxing mental burden that comes with the need to be on dialysis, according to Wells.

"When I was first told that I was going to have to do dialysis, the prospect of that to me was very depressing," said Wells. "I think that for a lot of dialysis patients the prospect of living your life tethered to a machine (is depressing). If you think about it, if you have to be somewhere for the rest of your life at specific times, you're gonna say 'I'm trapped.' "

Wells said the inspiration to help people through his mobile open houses stemmed from his family's medical history.

"My mother had multiple sclerosis, my two aunts that died prior to my birth had a heart condition, and my uncle was a paraplegic from a train accident, but I never heard my uncle or my grandmother or my mother complain about their condition or their lot in life," said Wells. "They just went on, and even today when I go to North Carolina and visit my grandmother's church, people come up to me and tell me how much she meant to them. If I did not do this, what I learned growing up in life and dealing with illness or whatever you have, I'd have lost a lesson they've taught me."

Wells and his grandchildren, who are from Florida, made a similar trek last summer, although it was only a two-week tour and didn't include open houses and dialysis clinics. He also didn't rent a RV and had to pack the 70-pound NxStage machine into a conversion van and stay overnight in motels along the way.

The medical supplies, including the needles, tubes and fluids needed to operate the machine, are shipped ahead to Wells' destinations. He keeps two weeks' worth of supplies on the RV at a time, but simplifies things by having additional equipment awaiting his arrival at upcoming stops.

The trip and supply costs are partially funded by NxStage. Wells got in contact with the company about a week before the trip, which began June 27. The company decided to help fund the venture, and Wells is happy to have assistance with the costs. He said he would have done the trip without the sponsorship. The money he got from the company "is just gravy."

The next stop on the trip is Boston, where Wells would like to go to a baseball game because his grandson is a Red Sox fan. There are four weeks left in the trip and upcoming stops include 11 presidential libraries and eight national monuments.
Kyle Stucker can be reached 594-6481 or kstucker@nashuatelegraph.com

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