Important new book about dialysis

[MooseMom]

Dr. Agar from Home Dialysis Central along with Dori Schatell from Medical Education Institute have a new book out called "Help, I Need Dialysis!  How to have a good future with kidney disease".  I've just received my copy, and let me tell you, it is absolutely the best and most complete book on the subject on the market.

The book covers the whole story from the beginning, from what the kidneys do, what happens when they fail, what kinds of treatments there are and how each modality works.  Renal failure and dialysis are complex subjects, but the authors have managed to take the most useful information and present it in a legible and informative manner.  It is an easy read, and it is nicely laid out.  You can skip around to find the specific information you need.

In addition, there is an entire section on Medicare and insurance, and there is a glossary plus a comprehensive list of websites where you can get support and even more information, including all of the ESRD Networks.  There is also a section about caregivers and their role.

You can order the book from www.homedialysis.org.  It would also be a godsend if some of you could buy an extra copy and donate it to your clinic.  Other patients could then have access to the truly valuable information it contains.

This book does NOT, however, cover transplantation; it is strictly about all modalities of dialysis.

Like a lot of you, I have done my share of websurfing to find all of the info I can on CKD/ESRD and dialysis.  There are plenty of good websites out there, but if you want just about all of the practical, useful information you could possibly need in a quick reference book, this book is perfect.  The only other reference material that I have found that comes close to this is Kidney School, which was also produced by Dori Schatell at MEI.

As the home page of IHD says, "Information is Power", and with this new, wonderful resource, we will be powerful indeed.

[sullidog]

I think I will suggest the make the book available in audio format for those like me who are blind or visually impaired cause I have no doubt if Dr. Agar helped write that it's a good book, he's a great dr.

[Rerun]

Does it list IHD as a support?  If not then it is not complete.  How can it not mention transplants?  Seems like a chapter on transplantation would give a new patient some hope.

Not being critical.... I'm just say'en.

[MooseMom]

Does it list IHD as a support?  If not then it is not complete.  How can it not mention transplants?  Seems like a chapter on transplantation would give a new patient some hope.

Not being critical.... I'm just say'en.

1.  I agree with your point about IHD.  Unfortunately, the very name "I Hate Dialysis" is viewed negatively by too many people who haven't spent much time here, and the authors probably don't want to include anything that has a negative connotation.  I've had this discussion with several people outside of IHD, and I can't sway them.  But if people go to the other websites mentioned in the book, they will inevitably stumble upon IHD.  In my web travels, I mention IHD to many renal patients.

2.  Re transplants, I suppose that would be a whole 'nuther book, and Dr. Agar is not a transplant nephrologist.  His specialty is dialysis, so he writes about dialysis.  Transplantation is mentioned as a treatment option, but only in passing. 

[MooseMom]

Sullidog, very good point.  I'll mention that to him over on Home Dialysis Central.  Thanks for the suggestion!

[boswife]

so MM, do yu think I'd like it? 

[MooseMom]

so MM, do yu think I'd like it?

Anyone who likes Kidney School would like this book.  Yes, I think you'd like it, but you're a pro at this stuff, so I'm not sure you'd NEED it.  It would prove most valuable for those who are pre-dialysis or who have just started dialysis and don't feel they know what the hell is going on!  LOL!

[boswife]

Yea,, being the 'pro' that i am,,, i did wonder if it woud be as interesting to me now..lol  Sure wish i had it back a bit though.