Dialysis Without a Partner

[George Jung]

It seems that after being a member of IHD for a couple of months now that everyone has a partner.  I want to start this thread for people without partners to share thoughts and experiences.  I hear about home dialysis often and how much people prefer it.  At this point in time 3 days a week in-center is the best choice for me (I need to keep my home free of treatment), but thats not to say things will not change.  It is my impression that I would not even be permitted to perform home dialysis since I live by myself.  Maybe I would be better off being happy with where I am rather that wanting something I can not have?  Anyone else without a partner that does home dialysis?

How do you manage (in general) without a partner?

[Sara]

I believe that Angie did PD at home for a few years by herself, and I believe Bill Peckham does home hemo by himself, at home and while traveling. 

[MyssAnne]

I don't know about hemodialysis, but I do PD by myself. I live by myself too, and am managing okay.
In an emergency I COULD disconnect. I just make sure I have done all I need to do to make myself
comfortable, including a drink on the night stand, usually a little larger than I think I need. You never know!

[KICKSTART]

I have been on my own for 2 yrs now doing CAPD (my lovely husband walked out during my second week of dialysis and left me stranded , miles from anyone ) I have dealt with dialysis,divorce,losing my home,moving to somewhere i now hate all within the past 2 yrs , plus i have had to start from scratch. I dont have any method in what i do , i just do what i can each day .I find the heavy stuff hard to cope with and usually come unstuck there! But generally i just muddle through the best i can ,my gorgeous dogs keep me going!
PS forgot to add (not after the sympathy vote or anything) i go for weeks without talking to or seeing another soul!

[goofynina]

I have been on my own for 2 yrs now doing CAPD (my lovely husband walked out during my second week of dialysis and left me stranded , miles from anyone ) I have dealt with dialysis,divorce,losing my home,moving to somewhere i now hate all within the past 2 yrs , plus i have had to start from scratch. I dont have any method in what i do , i just do what i can each day .I find the heavy stuff hard to cope with and usually come unstuck there! But generally i just muddle through the best i can ,my gorgeous dogs keep me going!
PS forgot to add (not after the sympathy vote or anything) i go for weeks without talking to or seeing another soul!

Kickstart,  as long as you remember we are just a keyboard away my friend, your never alone OK, we will always be here for you 

[KICKSTART]

Goofynina ..thanks  that means a lot to me .

[charee]

I have just started home hemo training, and was told i need a partner to start ,We get there and I'm the only one with one  So i asked why was that and was told you can do it in your own, but they like at least one other person just to know the basic but once you get home they are happy for you to do it alone. But at the moment I'm very grateful that i have one with me.

[angela515]

When I was on dialysis I did PD... no partner.

[Rerun]

George, I have done home hemo and you nailed it.  I want to leave treatment out of my home.  I don't want to see a machine, a saline bag or a fricking needle (other than knitting) in my home.  I want to go to the center ( as much as I hate it) and walk away and leave the mess.

I would think you would need someone there (at home) just in case of an emergency for Hemo.  PD is different and can be done alone.

[George Jung]

Thank you Rerun, even if I were the only one to feel like that (the need to keep my home free of constant reminder) it would be fine but it is nice to know I am not.  I just prefer not to be consumed by this condition which is how I view PD (with everyday treatments and multiple exchanges and whatnot) and worrying about storing equipment and supplies all over my home.  It is true, I do not like my form of treatment (I think I would not like any form of treatment) however I have found it's limitations and downfalls manageable and the days away from dialysis leave me feeling free.

[angela515]

Thank you Rerun, even if I were the only one to feel like that (the need to keep my home free of constant reminder) it would be fine but it is nice to know I am not.  I just prefer not to be consumed by this condition which is how I view PD (with everyday treatments and multiple exchanges and whatnot) and worrying about storing equipment and supplies all over my home.  It is true, I do not like my form of treatment (I think I would not like any form of treatment) however I have found it's limitations and downfalls manageable and the days away from dialysis leave me feeling free.

I viewed PD as my escape. Yes I had a mahine in my bedroom, and supplies, however it didn't consume my whole house, or my whole day. I did dialysis one time.. while I slept... I hooked up, layed down, watched TV, chatted on my computer, slept... woke up, disconnected, hooked it u to drain, went and got my kids ready for school, ate breakfast, worked out, showered, threw the empty bags away, and didn't recoginize my dialysis existed for the rest of the day. I didn't have to worry about watching my fluids, and I could pretty much eat what i wanted with my binders, as PD is less restrictive than hemo.  I felt more free on PD b/c I could travel as *I* wished, when I wished without setting it up with dialysis first, I could go to carnivals with my kids ad feel normal and not bleh due to too much fluid on a very hot day... For me, hemo was my jail... going to that center 3 times a week, watching my fluid vigorously on a daily basis, feeling so weak all the time...

Just another point of view, figured you would want all points of views.

[George Jung]

Sure, every point of view is welcome.  Why did you quote me? 
Anyway, fortunately for me I do not watch my fluids vigorously (simply moderate, but never thirsting to death), I eat almost the same as I did before (conscious about intake is never a bad thing), I can travel and not have equipment and supplies to worry about, I can go to carnivals, amusement parks and today I got back on my bike and hit 105 mph taking it easy.  I don't have to throw away bags or boxes and deal with delivery people and I can even jerk off like I used to.  I don't have anything out of the ordinary in my home and I am feeling pretty good since my uprising from severe depression.  I can get in my bed at night and relax without ever having to think about dialysis unless I want to.  That is working out very well for ME as of right now and I plan on keeping it that way until I want to make a change.  I need time without dialysis, my Sunday and Monday are fantastic and even tue, thu, and sat, are very manageable now.  Saturday I only had 1.3 kilos take off, until that changes, I will stick with what works.  Thank you very much.

[okarol]

George,

As far as home hemo - I know you need to train with someone. And I think it's smart to have someone nearby who knows your schedule and could check on you if need be. But I hadn't heard you could be excluded if you live alone.
Sounds like you're doing fine without a partner, in more ways than one.
Take care,
K

[angela515]

Sure, every point of view is welcome.  Why did you quote me? 
Anyway, fortunately for me I do not watch my fluids vigorously (simply moderate, but never thirsting to death), I eat almost the same as I did before (conscious about intake is never a bad thing), I can travel and not have equipment and supplies to worry about, I can go to carnivals, amusement parks and today I got back on my bike and hit 105 mph taking it easy.  I don't have to throw away bags or boxes and deal with delivery people and I can even jerk off like I used to.  I don't have anything out of the ordinary in my home and I am feeling pretty good since my uprising from severe depression.  I can get in my bed at night and relax without ever having to think about dialysis unless I want to.  That is working out very well for ME as of right now and I plan on keeping it that way until I want to make a change.  I need time without dialysis, my Sunday and Monday are fantastic and even tue, thu, and sat, are very manageable now.  Saturday I only had 1.3 kilos take off, until that changes, I will stick with what works.  Thank you very much.

I quote what i'm replying to, usually, if i'm not in a hurry. Sorry.

I traveled too, without equipment and supplies... I never once brought them with.. there delivered to ur hotel room. I never dealth with delivery people either, they were scheduled to come once a month and did everything themsleves and you were not bothered but to sign the delivery paper. So I guess if I wanted to "jerk off" I could.. since  knew when they were coming. I got in my bed and relaxed and didn't think about dialysis either, it's nice to know you don't have to go to a center 3 days a week.

I'm glad that's working for you... everyone is different and whatever works for them, they should stick with. Thank you very much.

George,

As far as home hemo - I know you need to train with someone. And I think it's smart to have someone nearby who knows your schedule and could check on you if need be. But I hadn't heard you could be excluded if you live alone.
Sounds like you're doing fine without a partner, in more ways than one.
Take care,
K

You don't need to train with a partner for PD. I believe that's only for home hemo.

[George Jung]

I quote what i'm replying to, usually, if i'm not in a hurry. Sorry.

Thats cool.  I'm glad you're not selling that because I sure as hell wouldn't buy it.  I guess you were in a hurry to post that because you forgot to spell check.  What a load!


Karol.....lmao...

[angela515]

I quote what i'm replying to, usually, if i'm not in a hurry. Sorry.

Thats cool.  I'm glad you're not selling that because I sure as hell wouldn't buy it.  I guess you were in a hurry to post that because you forgot to spell check.  What a load!

That's cause I don't use spell check.. never have.. *shrug* What exactly was I trying to sell? Anywho.... I was just offering my point of view of when I was on PD... I wasn't implying you should switch... 

[vandie]

I quote what i'm replying to, usually, if i'm not in a hurry. Sorry.

Thats cool.  I'm glad you're not selling that because I sure as hell wouldn't buy it.  I guess you were in a hurry to post that because you forgot to spell check.  What a load!

You're fine Ang, George is just out of "controll".

 
That's cause I don't use spell check.. never have.. *shrug* What exactly was I trying to sell? Anywho.... I was just offering my point of view of when I was on PD... I wasn't implying you should switch... 

You're fine Ang, George is just out of "controll".

 

[del]

George, do what you feel comfortable with.  We changed to home nocturnal hemo basically because of the travel-over an hour each way. It was costing us a fortune. Hubby is very active as well and the travel plus dialysis was taking a big chunk out of 3 days a week. Now he sleeps through it and has the days totally to himself. But this type of dialysis is not for everyone

[George Jung]

... George is just out of "controll".

Yea....OK

[vandie]

Was trying to be funny.  We all forget to spell check or make an error now and then.

[carson]

I've been on PD for 10 yrs. and with my husband for almost 8. I don't really "need" him for the dialysis bit but it sure is great to have him for the times when it gets to be too much, or when I'm dehydrated and have to lay on the bathroom floor after a shower, or when I have the flu, or the days when I feel so weak and tired I can't move my supplies, or when I just have a great big case of the poor me's. Until just this month he's accompanied me to all of my clinic visits and the 2 times I've been called for transplant (that didn't end up happening). He is everything to me and I am so happy I don't have to do this alone!

But if I had to, I know I could.

[Sara]

I quote what i'm replying to, usually, if i'm not in a hurry. Sorry.

Thats cool.  I'm glad you're not selling that because I sure as hell wouldn't buy it.  I guess you were in a hurry to post that because you forgot to spell check.  What a load!

That's cause I don't use spell check.. never have.. *shrug* What exactly was I trying to sell? Anywho.... I was just offering my point of view of when I was on PD... I wasn't implying you should switch... 

Angela, it's not you.  George seems to get offended when people quote him.   

[George Jung]

I read back over this thread and Angelas quote serves no pourpose.  I was thanking Rerun and elaborating on why I feel as I do.  Angela could have made her post without quoting me and it would have meant nothing different.  She doesn't feel the same as I do  and that is fine but it was completely unnecessary to quote me as it was not a direct response to what was said and the whole thread is about dialysis without a partner.  I could care less if I am quoted, it is the manner in which Angela did it that bothers me.  If you read back over it you will find that it was pointless.  Take the quote out of her post and her point of view comes across just the same.  There was no response directed to my thanking Rerun.  I read it as saying something without coming out and saying it.  Think whatever you will, I am not here for a popularity contest.

[Sara]

George, I don't think ANYONE is here for a popularity contest.  You were offended when I quoted you in an earlier thread then said some rude things to me by PM when I tried to explain why, and now you are offended when Angela quoted you.  I think you probably have a lot to offer this community, but in my opinion you need to get that chip off your shoulder and relax. 

[KICKSTART]

Its all about opinions and we all have different ones ..i am dreading the time when i have to do 'hemo' . I find PD at home relaxing ? As in no hospital enviroment, no bossy nurses , if i want a drink i just make one (i see from posts a lot of you clash with the nurses!) Its flexible to a degree, if i just want to finish watching a tv programme i can , then i can go do PD.  Some folk like someone else to be in control of the situation and walk away and leave it all behind once its finished. I prefer the comfort of my own room/surroundings, and i still walk away when done ..i just shut the door!!!!
ps ..all written without the aid of a spellchecker !