I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Traveling Tips and Stories => Topic started by: iolaire on January 04, 2016, 10:01:52 AM

Title: Any Experiences with Holiday Dialysis (in center HD) in Brussels, Belgium
Post by: iolaire on January 04, 2016, 10:01:52 AM
Hello, most of you should know that I travel a lot and setup dialysis with the help of the DaVita travel international coordinator (Gina).  My big challenge is deciding on what center to visit.  With Google and the Fresenius’ NephroCare (https://www.nephrocare.com/dialysis-centres.html) website its fairly easy to find centers, but harder to know if I should pick one over another….

So my question this round is if anyone has experience with dialysis in Brussels, Belgium?  It looks like there are some hospitals offering treatment:
http://www.saintluc.be/services/medicaux/nephrologie/holiday-dialysis-english.php
http://www.europehospitals.be/stelisabeth/en/d/t/1538

We will be visiting my Sister and her family.  They moved to Brussels for three years starting last September.  My fall back will be asking them which hospitals are most convenient to their home, or if the people at work recommend one over the other. 

(And yes I owe everyone a write-up from my trip to Montreal Canada!  Plus a Buenos Aires trip report.)
Title: Good hospital based dialysis in Brussels Belgium
Post by: iolaire on June 14, 2016, 07:46:00 AM
I received three HD treatments at Saint Luc in May/June 2016.  The facility was very large (might have 60+ chairs in pods/rooms) but the care team was helpful. There was a little confusion when I arrived because there was not a check in desk visible, but one of the doctors tried to find where I should go.  Fairly quickly they figured out who I was and set up a machine for me.  It sounded like my paperwork had not made it to the care team from the coordinators.  However despite the confusion the wait was not long.  The doctors spook good English, the nurse or tech who connected me each data had at decent English. 

One day there was some confusion from a nurse/tech who didn’t really understand that I do not use button holes.  She missed the first stick in a new part of my arm that I just started using but had no issues when she went to my main fistula area. 

As a US patient pre-payment was required of 1,500 euro (for three sessions) wired to a bank account prior to travel. 

Its located on the subway with the stop about three buildings from the main hospital, there is good markings on the walkway leading to the hospital.  Wifi is available via a French only sign up form without SMS confirmation (so you can sign up without a working phone number).  I was able to by a local Lycia Mobile SIM in the convenience store on the ground floor of the hospital.

I would return to this center.

Holiday Dialysis URL
http://www.saintluc.be/services/medicaux/nephrologie/holiday-dialysis-english.php
Title: Re: Good hospital based dialysis in Brussels Belgium
Post by: hatedialysis2 on June 14, 2016, 09:12:50 AM
Thank you for sharing Iolare.  It's so inspiring to know that dialysis does not get in your way of traveling and living a full life.   curious, why are you not cannula ting yourself?
Title: Re: Good hospital based dialysis in Brussels Belgium
Post by: iolaire on June 14, 2016, 09:29:23 AM
Thank you for sharing Iolare.  It's so inspiring to know that dialysis does not get in your way of traveling and living a full life.   curious, why are you not cannula ting yourself?

Its always felt like I would get a transplant soon so I've not gone the home hemo way.  So far cannulating has not been a problem so I've not moved to do it myself.
Title: Re: Good hospital based dialysis in Brussels Belgium
Post by: iolaire on July 06, 2016, 05:10:29 AM
I've asked that this post be merged into my original post at:
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=32900.0