End of Life with Kidney Disease

[Stoday]

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

[thegrammalady]

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!!!!

[LightLizard]

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.
 

[kitkatz]

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

[Zach]

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

And I'm a loan officer!   

[dwcrawford]

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.

[LightLizard]

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.

[bette1]

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. 

[dwcrawford]

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.

[del]

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

Hubby's on borrowed time too!!  It's been over 12 years now and he is still going strong!!!  Don't believe statistics.

[dwcrawford]

And don't forget everybody's friend Zach!  Is that 27 years?  I dare him to make it any less than 27 more.

[willowtreewren]

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. 

Aleta

[dwcrawford]

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.

[willowtreewren]

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!!

 

[dwcrawford]

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

[cariad]

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!

[dwcrawford]

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.

[cariad]

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.