A post I read from an ambulance driver regarding waiting for dialysis patients

[YLGuy]

Post:
The Most Interesting Ambulance Crew in the World
5 hours ago via mobile
Apparently the dialysis ctr's are catching on . Went for a pick up and the tech told us "about 10 more minutes...dialysis time." At least they realize they have been giving us BS times...Mother

My reply:

 Boo FRIGGIN Hoo! How about showing a little empathy? Stop whining. I have been a dialysis patient for almost 5 years. I drive myself. I am out of there in less than 5 minutes from the end of my treatment. The Tech's and nurses do not know when someone will be ready to leave. This is "Life Support." We are terminally ill. There are so many factors to consider when determining when a patient is ready for transfer. The only thing they can answer is how long before the treatment will end and even that can be different barring any problems. How about bringing a book? I sit in that chair for 4 hours, 3 days a week. It is F'ing torture. Pretty self-centered crying about sitting in the waiting area for X minutes more.

[Riki]

There's a fellow in my unit.  He's in his 70s, has had several heart attacks and is on oxygen, so he needs to be transported to and from dialysis by ambulance.  Sometimes he waits for 2 hours or more after his treatment for them to show up.  He has a 45 minute drive home in the back of this ambulance, so I'm thinking it must take a heck of a lot out of him to do that 3 times a week.

[Alex C.]

I used to drive a taxi years ago, and we had a lot of dialysis transport calls. And, yes, we knew that they called early,so they often let the dialysis calls sit for a while until they dispatched them.

[NDXUFan]

There's a fellow in my unit.  He's in his 70s, has had several heart attacks and is on oxygen, so he needs to be transported to and from dialysis by ambulance.  Sometimes he waits for 2 hours or more after his treatment for them to show up.  He has a 45 minute drive home in the back of this ambulance, so I'm thinking it must take a heck of a lot out of him to do that 3 times a week.

Yes, no kidding.  This is someone who needs a kidney transplant.....  If we did not have a system run by hypocrites, this man's suffering would be over.  However, I guess, we have our morals, right?

[Riki]

There's a fellow in my unit.  He's in his 70s, has had several heart attacks and is on oxygen, so he needs to be transported to and from dialysis by ambulance.  Sometimes he waits for 2 hours or more after his treatment for them to show up.  He has a 45 minute drive home in the back of this ambulance, so I'm thinking it must take a heck of a lot out of him to do that 3 times a week.

Yes, no kidding.  This is someone who needs a kidney transplant.....  If we did not have a system run by hypocrites, this man's suffering would be over.  However, I guess, we have our morals, right?

I actually doubt that he's even on the list, since his other health problems are so bad that he probably would not survive the surgery.  I'm in Canada, so our system is different than yours.

[MomoMcSleepy]

There's a fellow in my unit.  He's in his 70s, has had several heart attacks and is on oxygen, so he needs to be transported to and from dialysis by ambulance.  Sometimes he waits for 2 hours or more after his treatment for them to show up.  He has a 45 minute drive home in the back of this ambulance, so I'm thinking it must take a heck of a lot out of him to do that 3 times a week.

Yes, no kidding.  This is someone who needs a kidney transplant.....  If we did not have a system run by hypocrites, this man's suffering would be over.  However, I guess, we have our morals, right?

Well i'm about to say something awful and potentially controversial......

But....when docs assess patients, they look at whether or not the person can handle the surgery and self care afterwards, can they take care of the organ, and their comorbidities.  It doesn't really make sense to give a very limited resource that requires vigilance and relatively stable health otherwise to a person  who, and excuse me, won't get much use out of it . I feel crappy saying that, but a person gets cut open or dies, shouldn't that organ have half a chance to give life and health to someone?  I nearly got denied at 32 years old, in great health otherwise, no drugs, no drinking, no smoking, volunteer at church, worked full time....did yoga and jogged up to day of surgery (ok, jogging was sporadic, truth be told).  I also had three matching potential donors from family and friends...i wasn't even "taking" anyone else's kidney (that idea is crap, people throw it around)! But, because of my lengthy history, my infection risk, i was on hold lots longer than anyone else in my position.  I didn't complain....though I was scared.  i knew the reasoning and understood.  Someday I'll be denied too, I'm sure...unless (fingers crossed) they come up with a reliable robo-kidney or grow back my native one.  I'm young, who knows?  It is awful that they make that poor man wait, though.  it's exhausting to me to go to clinic.  To be dialyzed, then have to wait, then be in the ambulance for a long ride.....terrible.  No doubt there.  Sadly, unless his health has improved, he will have to keep doing it

[jeannea]

I think at any unit, you will se a patient who seems to only be prolonging a miserable life with miserable dialysis. I hope that doctors are honest with families about benefits and risks. There will always be some who say do anything to keep grandma alive. So grandma is brought in on a stretcher and subjected to dialysis and sent back to the nursing home unaware why this is happening. It does sound like the man in the story is able to make his own decision about dialysis. I would choose to not go through it but I think we have to let him choose.

[jeannea]

I think at any unit, you will se a patient who seems to only be prolonging a miserable life with miserable dialysis. I hope that doctors are honest with families about benefits and risks. There will always be some who say do anything to keep grandma alive. So grandma is brought in on a stretcher and subjected to dialysis and sent back to the nursing home unaware why this is happening. It does sound like the man in the story is able to make his own decision about dialysis. I would choose to not go through it but I think we have to let him choose.