1,018 dialyses and counting

[okarol]

1,018 dialyses and counting

11 Feb 2008, 0349 hrs IST,
Prathima Nandakumar,TNN

BANGALORE: How long do you think I will survive? This is a question 72-year-old A Nagarajan loves to ask. A retired architect and structural engineer, he walks into his 1,018th dialyses at Sagar Apollo Hospital with a smile on his face.

Today, he celebrates life after every dialysis. In October 2001, Nagarajan collapsed into his daughter's arms when his doctor broke the news that he has renal failure.

"The disease couldn't break his spirit," say his doctors. But Nagarajan feels victory didn't come easily.

"The day I was operated to fix aretriovenous fistulas (AVF), I worked out a daily schedule of prayer, medical management, exercise and three hospital visits every week. Once I began to understand the disease, my body and its responses, half the battle was won," says Nagarajan, who also has diabetes since 1973. "I never let the diseases take control of my life," he beams.

Nagarajan says divine intervention saved him. "Also, I'm lucky to have a supportive family - my wife and two daughters. A deciding factor was money, as the treatment cost Rs 30,000 every month. Thankfully, I have health insurance and escaped the hapless situation which most patients go through. It saddens me to see young people give up for want of money. Many others succumb to the ordeal of treatment, which demands will power, endurance, planning and adherence to a disciplined lifestyle," says Nagarajan.

Dialysis has became a part of Nagarajan's life. The cramps, chill, nausea, body pain and tiredness associated with it don't scare him any longer.

"Thrice a week, I walk into the dialysis room. But I realize it's important to have a good team of technicians and doctors to care for you. A sterile environment and personal hygiene help reduce risk of complications," adds Nagarajan.

Sanjeev Kumar Hiremath, consultant nephrologist, says: "Nagarajan is a fighter. We have many patients who are through with their 500th dialyses. But it's important to understand the disease and sustain confidence. The
patients' blood is passed through a dialyser and purified before pumping it back into the blood vessels. Diet is crucial. One must avoid intake of potassium as it affects dialysis. Leeching the food (cooking twice) to remove potassium or opting for a low-protein diet can go a long way."

In July 2007, the hospital honoured Nagarajan for being one of the first patients to undergo dialysis.

Now, Nagarajan's pastime - long travels and family outings - have become a reality. "I want to instil confidence in others fighting renal disease by educating them on diet, exercise and managing finances. While insurance is a must, screening for kidney function is mandatory for anyone with diabetes and hypertension," he says.

"I spare no opportunity to talk to patients and support groups. As a member of New York Kidney Foundation, I'm equipped with latest information on newer treatments or patient management. I share it with doctors, patients and their families," says Nagarajan.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, he asks: "How long do you think I will live?" with a twinkle in his eye.

prathima.nandakumar@timesgroup.com

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/1018_dialyses_and_counting/rssarticleshow/2772185.cms

[kitkatz]

I am at 1,404 plus.  I think I got him beat!  However good luck to him!

[Bill Peckham]

"One must avoid intake of potassium as it affects dialysis. Leeching the food (cooking twice) to remove potassium or opting for a low-protein diet can go a long way."

It's disappointing to see a doctor saying this - Indian or not. Pre-dialysis one should consider a low protein diet to reduce the renal workload but once you start dialysis it is important to eat protein. The higher your albumin the better - albumin is measuring your protein intake and your overall nutritional status; low albumin has correlated to higher mortality rates. Eat more protein if you're on dialysis, not less.

(dialyzing at home more frequently these last 6+ years would be about 1,800 treatments; in the 11 years incenter before that would be 1,600 or more. Easily over 3,000)

[del]

Hubby has him beat too!!  He has about 1500 hemo dialysis treatments not counting 2.5 years of 4 exchanges a day on PD!!!

[petey]

Next week, my Marvin will have his 1,600th dialysis treatment.  I've counted them and marked each one on a calendar.  He started in March of 1995, but he did have a three-year break from 2000 - 2003 when he had his transplant.

[BigSky]

As to the number of times on dialysis, I think its stating it might not be all that common in India to achieve that amount while its not uncommon in the US or other western countries.