Travel and Dialysis

[Rerun]

I traveled for the first time on Dialysis.  That is why I haven't posted anything!  I've missed you guys!!!  Anyway, I learned not to fly the same day you dialyze.  Three hours in an airplane seat and then 3 hours in a dialysis chair does not agree with my butt and legs. 

Dialysis Centers do things differently.  I'm not sure which is right.  I had to go to my home dialysis center this morning because the other one didn't do the dressing right on my Hickman and it was hurting.   

I read a good book on the plane.  "Flight 653 from Austin" by Jim Yates, a true story about a Father and Daughters valiant struggle with diabetes and kidney failure.  It was up in Eastern Washington, so I knew the Nephrologists they were talking about.   They flew her from Austin to Spokane... hence the name.  Also, this girl's name is Darla.... we are not the same person.     Good book if you don't like to read because it is short but very interesting.

[Epoman]

I traveled for the first time on Dialysis.  That is why I haven't posted anything!  I've missed you guys!!!  Anyway, I learned not to fly the same day you dialyze.  Three hours in an airplane seat and then 3 hours in a dialysis chair does not agree with my butt and legs. 

Dialysis Centers do things differently.  I'm not sure which is right.  I had to go to my home dialysis center this morning because the other one didn't do the dressing right on my Hickman and it was hurting.   

I read a good book on the plane.  "Flight 653 from Austin" by Jim Yates, a true story about a Father and Daughters valiant struggle with diabetes and kidney failure.  It was up in Eastern Washington, so I knew the Nephrologists they were talking about.   They flew her from Austin to Spokane... hence the name.  Also, this girl's name is Darla.... we are not the same person.     Good book if you don't like to read because it is short but very interesting.

We missed you too! I'm glad you had a safe trip. Welcome back. I hate to travel because of dialysis. I went to Oklahoma so my wife could visit her family and man It was disgusting the center I went too. But the sad part was it was part of a hospital. I even skipped treatments so I wouldn't have to go to the center. That was 8 years ago and I have not gone anywhere else since.

Damn I need a vaction. 

[Jamie]

Dear fellow renal readers,

  I have traveled to  Reno, NV Chicago,IL Washington D.C. and almost all  of Ontario with my magic. When I travel to the U.S.A I have to pay cash out of pocket for my treatments.
  While in Reno for a week I needed two treatments the cost was $1200.00 U.S...........Jamie-G

[Bajanne]

Actually, I am travelling right now. I am in my native country island of Barbados.  I was trying to get a 'hook-up' so I could get free dialysis from our public hospital.  If I got that, I would stay until the end of the first week in January as I am on holiday from school.  So far it hasn't worked out (it has not been helped by the fact that the nephrologist in charge of the hospital unit is also the owner of a private dialysis clinic!) and that means I really can't afford to have more than one dialysis since that is how I budgeted for this holiday.  I should not complain too much I suppose, since one dialysis here is $300, but to me that is too much.  If the free dialysis does not work out, I will return home on Wednesday morning to reach in time for my session.
But I do think it is unfair since I am a citizen and if I was living here, I would be having it free.

[susie q]

You should check with your social worker to see if your country, where you live now, will reimburse you for a portion of the cost of out of town treatment.... The Canadian gov't will do this... It just makes sense because they would have to pay for your treatment at home anyway...  just maybe...?

[Jamie]

Dear fellow renal readers,

  As for my trip to Reno I needed two treatments witch cost me $1200.00 U.S. about 5 months later the Canadian Government gave me back about $425.00 back Canadian I guess I should be thankfull that at least I did get some thing back.....Jamie-G

[Bajanne]

My insurance will give me 80% back of what I spend on dialysis.  It is just that I don't think i should even have to pay anything up front, because I am in my country and in my country, dialysis is free for all citizens.   Just because I live in another country, I should not lose my rights as a citizen.  I am not a citizen where I live right now, and dialysis there is free for me.

[Rerun]

I'm traveling Dec 22 - 27 so don't think I died or something, but I won't have computer access.  I'm going to dialyze twice while in Spokane, WA if my Social Worker didn't "F" it up.   

[babi68]

Enjoy your time away. Be good if we could have time off dialysis over the holidays wouldn't it, but alas that is not to be. By the way your puppies are very cute Liz

[Jamie]

Rerun,
  Hope things go well....Jamie-G

[Bajanne]

Well, I didn't get the free dialysis.  The hospital center is over-flowing.  I had a dialysis at the private clinic.  It was really nice.  I was prepared to return home on Wednesday, but a family friend decided that I should be here for at least Christmas day and he paid for two dialysis sessions for me.
Well, I experienced the 15 needle without lidocaine.  Why? because their needle for lidocaine hurt like the dickens.  At my center the lidocaine needle is so thin you hardly feel it. But theirs was almost like the 17 needle, so the second dialysis, I had no lidocaine.
I will be returning home on Monday.  the great thing is that when I went to the airline to change my travel date, they said the change would cost $73, but it turns out that I had a voucher from the same airline for $75, so instead of paying them, they gave me $2 change!
So my vacation has been great.   Friends from the school I taught at when I lived here arranged a little soirée on the Saturday after I arrived.  Then my clan had its usual year-end party last Tuesday.  Then my section of the family meets at my sister's home for Christmas lunch, dinner...........

[cabarle]

I am told that as long as there's a VA Hospital, I can dialize for free when I travel. I have to let my center know 3 weeks in advance. I think that's fair enough.

[Rerun]

When traveling what I find interesting is how EVERY Dialysis Center is SO different.  Some use real sheets on the chairs, some use paper sheets on the chairs and some use none.  Some require a mask when hooking up and others don't care.  Some let you use cell phones and some think it will blow up the machine. 

Bottom Line........ none of them know what is right!   

[Bajanne]

That is true, because in the private centre where I went in Barbados, there were no sheets on the chairs, and I had thought that was standard.

[LifeOnHold]

Some don't know what a pressure bandage is, either!

The unit I had to go to when I visited my parents in Florida just used regular band-aids on sites-- and they were mystified when I got blood all over the floor when I went to the scale after my treatment!

I actually had to TELL them how to make a pressure bandage-- and they had to hunt for the gauze because it's not used at all during treatments!  Most of their patients had neck or chest catheters, so they weren't used to taking care of grafts-- another sign that unit wasn't very good!   (Out of 14 patients, at least 9 of them had catheters-- that's WAY too many.)

[kitkatz]

I have traveled in the US over the last seven years.  The social worker sets up dialysis wherever I will be.  She has been pretty good at it.  Hawaiian dialysis centers require a six months to a year reservation you know.  I know I tried to go there. Forget it!
I have been to Lake Tahoe twice-Dialyzed in Reno both times.
I have been to Wiiliamsburg, VA (by myself)- dialyzed in Richmond, VA
Pismo Beach-Dialyzed in Santa Maria
Palm Springs- 2 times- the dialysis center was in walking distance of my condo.
Birch Bay-Washington State- Dialyzed , but I did do it.  Need reservations six months in advance in tourist areas.
Oceanside- Dialyzed in Encinitas 20 minutes away.

It is fun seeing places I have not seen before.
This June it is off to Windsor, CA in the wine country.

I use dialysisfinder.com  to locate centers in the area I wanted to visit. Then I took the top five to the social worker. She has managed to get me into the Windsor unit 3 miles from the condo this year. I have had to drive up to an hour and a half for dialysis while on vacation. Talk about cutting into your days!

Katherine

[Black]

...  I have had to drive up to an hour and a half for dialysis while on vacation. Talk about cutting into your days!

Katherine

If you love travel that much it's time to get a NxStage!

[kitkatz]

I just figured "I'll be damned if I will let this stop me from doing what I want to do."
Besides once a year out with my husband on vacation is truly worth it!

Katherine

[pigsty1953]

Please tell me,
what is NxStage???

Thanks,
Randy in Clearwater, FL

[Rerun]

Please go to our Sister Site www.ilovenxstage.com and read all about it.  It is a home dialysis unit.

[AlasdairUK]

In the UK most units will allow for two weeks dialysis away from your unit. You may have to pay upfront and be reimbursed depending on your destination.