I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: Stoday on September 15, 2009, 12:01:10 PM

Title: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: Stoday on September 15, 2009, 12:01:10 PM
When I had my check-up at the hospital last week, I mentioned that statistics on the web showed that in the US 50% of new hemodialysis patients die within 3 years.

Oh dear! I should not have introduced the subject. I didn't know that the NHS had published just a month previously, a document for staff "End of Life Care in Advanced Kidney Disease". I was told how well they'd look after me when the end came so I need nor worry about it. Gee I haven't even started hemodialysis yet and she's telling me about when I finish.

However, the publication is interesting and some IHD members may like to read it. Click here to download (http://www.kidneycare.nhs.uk/i/assets/EoLC_Jun09.pdf)
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: thegrammalady on September 15, 2009, 12:18:17 PM
there are many of us here that will argue loudly with that. many of us on dialysis for longer than 3 years. there are many things that skew statistics. two of those things are the advanced age of the patient and cancer. someone who is say 75 or has cancer, may die within 3 years of starting dialysis, but dialysis isn't what kills them!!!!
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: LightLizard on September 15, 2009, 12:51:34 PM
there's just too many 'exceptions to the rule' to bother with statistics at all.
really, stats are all about accounting and funding, and have little to do with the real world.
  8)
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: kitkatz on September 15, 2009, 01:40:59 PM
Almost 11 years here. I guess I am on borrowed time??  :rofl;
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: Zach on September 15, 2009, 02:11:48 PM

Almost 11 years here. I guess I am on borrowed time??  :rofl;


And I'm a loan officer!    :o
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: dwcrawford on September 15, 2009, 02:28:08 PM
New to dialysis but I bet I die of old age first. 

Any Facebook people here?  I took that "when will you die test" and it said 92 but I can't tell you what it said I would die of -- not in a public forum anyway.  It was an activity unrelated to dialysis though. 

Blush!   We need a Blush smiley.
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: LightLizard on September 15, 2009, 02:33:27 PM
the world's oldest man just died last week. he was 115. now, the oldest person on earth is a japanese woman. she's 114.
does anybody really die of 'old age'? isn't it really just 'wear and tear' that eventually wears out an organ, or organs?
i'm on facebook under my human name, wayne wilson, vancouver network. but i doubt you want me on your friend list. ;D
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: bette1 on September 15, 2009, 03:05:27 PM
I really think that the statistics are skewed because there are many people who get on dialsysis after other illnesses or at an advanced age. 
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: dwcrawford on September 15, 2009, 03:09:07 PM
I guess that's true now that I think about it.  It is just which ones you wear out first.  But I guess death from old age is just being too worn  out to get them repaired.
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: del on September 15, 2009, 03:46:51 PM
Almost 11 years here. I guess I am on borrowed time??  :rofl;

Hubby's on borrowed time too!!  :rofl; It's been over 12 years now and he is still going strong!!!  Don't believe statistics.
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: dwcrawford on September 15, 2009, 04:57:22 PM
And don't forget everybody's friend Zach!  Is that 27 years?  I dare him to make it any less than 27 more.
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: willowtreewren on September 15, 2009, 05:03:57 PM
I remember reading that article sometime recently (probably here on IHD) and getting really depressed over it. My husband pointed out that despite dialysis he is really very healthy. He has always been very healthy and there is no reason to think that he will die within a few years.

Made me feel better.  :thumbup;

Aleta
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: dwcrawford on September 15, 2009, 05:18:51 PM
The idea of doing  dialysis scared me half to death.  Now it is nothing more than a nuisance.  Four months now.  And Facebook said I would live to be 92?  I don't think I have enough money left for that.
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: willowtreewren on September 15, 2009, 05:21:41 PM
Quote
I don't think I have enough money left for that.

You better start practicing so you can pick up some pocket change by playing in the local lounges!!

 :o :o
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: dwcrawford on September 15, 2009, 05:27:12 PM
hehe.  Been there, done that. 

I know what you mean about paper and computers.  I once wrote and taught a seminar on development of presentation materials for overhead projectors.  Great class:  colors, fonts, comoposition, etc.  And then Lotus developed Powerpoint.  Now everyone is an expert???????? maybe?

I want a Card
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: cariad on September 15, 2009, 05:28:53 PM
Not dialysis specifically, but a statistics-obsessed doctor told me a few years ago that if I had a second, live-donor transplant, I would be lucky if it lasted 13 years. He also told me that when I had my first transplant, the stats said it would last 5 years, 8 years tops. It has lasted 33 years.

Ignore the stats!
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: dwcrawford on September 15, 2009, 05:35:11 PM
Wasn't really very good in statistics... didn't like it.  But didn't someone say you could make statistics tell you anything you wanted it to?  Maybe I'm dreaming of some other course I didn't like.
Title: Re: End of Life with Kidney Disease
Post by: cariad on September 15, 2009, 05:38:54 PM
Wasn't really very good in statistics... didn't like it.  But didn't someone say you could make statistics tell you anything you wanted it to?  Maybe I'm dreaming of some other course I didn't like.

No, you're not dreaming. I think many people have said that, not sure who verbalized it first.

I fancy myself to be pretty good with numbers and stats, and yes, you must know how they acquired their data and defined their terms, or it is just another useless number.