An interesting idea I had.

[lilgiggler35]

       

I know that there are many places with dialysis clinics nearby all over the country, and that this makes traveling much easier than it used to be.  Unfortunately I am so wiped out most of the time, that I don't have the energy to actually enjoy myself (assuming I could afford to travel.) I came up with 2 different ways of dealing with the travel when I want to but can't.  I created an After-Transplant version of a Bucket List. I may not see all the places on the list but I'm going to try. some are in the US. Some aren't. The other way is I check out travel books from the library and take vacations in my head and imagination. It isn't quite the same but it helps lift my spirits. Sometimes I've even found some new things to add to the list as well.

[Rerun]

After Transplant I hope you get your bucketlist!

                   

[Jean]

That is a great idea and I hope you get your bucket list too.

[CebuShan]

Great idea!   

[MaryJoe]

Where would you go first?  What kinds of places do you enjoy - mountains, beaches, cities...

[cameron fields]

lilgiggler35, I hope that helps. If you do decide to travel before receiving a transplant then you should find a unit near your destination and your healthcare team can make arrangements with them for dialysis treatment appointments during your vacation. The destination unit needs to receive your information in the time they request, or they can refuse to dialyze visitors. So, you should follow up with your social worker four weeks in advance of your vacation  to ensure all necessary paperwork has been completed and sent to the appropriate facility.

Though travel outside of United States requires longer notice, travel within the States, as a Medicare Patient, requires that you provide your clinic with at least six to eight weeks notice before you travel. There are typically no additional costs to receive dialysis at other units in the U.S. Also note that units outside of America charge various prices for treatments that Medicare does not cover. Be sure to get the costs in writing beforehand so that you can discuss additional fees with your insurance provider.

Wishing you the best!.
Cameron

[Simon Dog]

If you are a visiting patient at a non-home clinic, be sure to know what settings your doc has prescribed on the machine, particularly the bicarb setting.  As is well known (thanks to the contingency fee bar), you need to subtract 4 from the prescribed net bicarb if using Naturalyte and subtrace 8 if using Granuflo (both Fresenius products).

I do home dialysis, and my doc has prescribed a net 40 bicarb, which means I enter 36 on the Baby K  (I use naturalyte acid) and that a clinic using Granuflo should enter 32.   A DaVita clinic I visited never heard of the +4/+8 issue and their position was "you doc prescribed 40, so that's what we enter on the machine".    The issue is important since an excess bicarb increased the risk of cardiac arrest, and clinics tend to use Granuflo since it is easier to inventory and transport that Naturalyte (Granuflo is shipped as granules, hence the name).

[Riki]

I've never heard of that.. but I've never had problems dialyzing at other clinics..

I'm at a point in my life where I don't believe I'll ever get another transplant, so if I want to go somewhere, I do my best to save the money, and I go.  I'm going to New York in May, and since my parents' house appears to be selling in the next week, then I may actually be able to stay longer than the standard 5 days..