Alllow me to introduce myself

[Old Fool]

I'm a man of wealth and taste.  I also have a GFR of 16, which should allow me a little more time to get used to the three overwhelming choices I am suddenly faced with: dialysis, which is almost unthinkable; asking a relative for a kidney, which is almost as bad as dialysis (accepting a donation is one thing, but asking is like begging, which I refuse to do); and taking the hospice route, which is the most alluring of the three. 

I am 69, in good health, and can still run two or three miles with the old zest and enthusiasm.  But since I was told a month ago to start thinking about dialysis, that's all I've been able to think about.  The subject is all-consuming, leaving little room or time for books and music and movies and humor--all the things that make life worth living.  This site both helps with the problem and in some ways makes it worse.  It just gives me more things to think about that I don't want to think about.  Maybe I'll think differently when I start feeling sick.

[kickingandscreaming]

Feeling ill is a really good kick in the behind.  It gets you WOKE. 

I also feel that dialysis has taken over my life.  I do PD and it's really not horrible.  Just a daily burden that sustains life.  And then we all need to decide whether that life is worth living.

[Charlie B53]

I started Dialysis long before I ever felt sick because of my kidneys not working well enough.  I started because the water retention causing my legs to swell so much every day they would leak enough of that clear sera that my socks and shoes would be soaked.  I would get terrible infections where those leaks were, often putting my in the hospital for up to 2 weeks at a time.  My Kidney Dr and I had a long talk about someday needing Dialysis.  I ask him if Dialysis would stop all the swelling and leaking, then why wait?  In the years since my kidneys have continued to fail and of course if I wouldn't have already been on Dialysis I would have had to.  So actually starting so early, I have never had any of the kidney sickness that so many others have had to go through.

Why put yourself through the illness and pain?  It does take some adjustment, but it really isn't that difficult.  And really about the only thing I find wrong is I am tired most all the time.  But I am NOT sick.

Welcome to IHD.  We won't kid you here.  Just try to explain what we find works for us.

[Simon Dog]

I'm a man of wealth and taste.

You forgot to throw in culture, breeding and social sophisitcation.

I know what you mean about refusing to ask.  BTDT.

and taking the hospice route, which is the most alluring of the three. 

If you are in otherwise good health, give D a try.  You may find life still worth living.  I know I do.   Also, your residual will continue to decline so it you eventually do decide to stop, you will get a quicker kill.   

[cassandra]

Welcome to the site Old Fool


   




Use the time you have to choose which D is doable and let 'them' create an access. You can always choose hospice
When you find D is not for you.


Take care, Cas

[Jean]

They say there is no fool like an old fool, so a very  to you and hopefully you can stay off D until death naturally occurs. I am 78 and have been in stage 4 for 10 years now.

[kristina]

Hello and welcome,
before I started with my dialysis-treatments, I possibly would have agreed with you,
but having been on dialysis for a little while now and having found my own routine with it,
it is not as bad as I first thought and it also gives me a chance to continue with my life as best as I can.
I do hope you have a little talk with yourself and give dialysis a try.
If you give yourself a chance and try it out, you might be pleasantly surprised.
Of course, not needing dialysis is much better, but if you need it, it creates a chance to continue with life...
And please make sure to set it up in a practical way to create an easy transition for yourself,
 i.e. easy accessible transport to the dialysis-center etc., or the best time to sit down and read a book during dialysis etc.
Best of luck wishes from Kristina.

[Michael Murphy]

Is dialysis a perfect solution to ESRD, not only no but hell no,   Is it better than being dead, hell yes.  Dialysis takes between setup, treatment, holding about 18 hours of my week.  That leaves 150 hours of time to enjoy my life each week.  The 18hours is spent either sleeping or reading.  All told I am  happy about going to Dialysys cause I get to walk on the green side of the grass.  You are 3 years older than I am and without dialysis I would not get any older.  We all complain about dialysis but almost all of us go.  Lastly the science of treatment is evolving.  New technology is coming many of which eases the burden of Dialysis.

[Simon Dog]

ime for books and music and movies and humor

Dialysis leaves plenty of time for books and movies.    If your center does not have decent enough wifi for netflix, hulu and Amazon video, get playon.tv of stop by red box on the way to treatment.

I have found that the time passes MUCH more quickly now that I do it at home with my cell phone, landline and computer handy.