hypothetical for those on dialysis

[Deanne]

I'm pre-ESRD and I'd be willing to try it anyway (the bland drinks though, not the IV). I'm already restricting my diet a lot to get my potassium level down. It isn't fun, but I'm just learning to change my focus away from food. Just think.... no dishes to wash, no groceries to buy!

[RichardMEL]

I was very surprised at the response to the  question.   I know from your posts  sialysis is a hard thing to have to endure but I couldnt believe what I just read  everyone would  do the foood instead of water   SO  dialysis is a good thing  great to hear this   Im not meaning to take it lightly but looking at it diffrently

Well my take on it is that dialysis is a good thing insomuch as it keeps us alive. The actual process is draining and harrowing on the body but it's one of those necessary evil type situations.

For me life is about experience and enjoyment as much as it is about living... part of that is the enjoyment of the experience of food and variety of food and drink. If you took that away forcing someone to just drink water and be fed by IV that would make life more of an "existence" than a pleasureable experience... Let's say that something magical happened and you could have the choice, it might be interesting to try, or even try a mixture - a few months "off" dialysis and food, go do stuff, then a few months back "on" if it were possible.. of course if I had the time off dialysis I'd want to go travel the world like I used to... uh oh part of THAT is eating all that yummy and interesting food (or just trying Moscow McDonald's...).... hmm.. there's a problem with that isn't there?

I prefer to live life than just exist so.. I'll take the food and the dialysis needles over the no food and no dialysis....

[Bajanne]

If I could work full-time, not have to go to the center and just drink 3 bland drinks per day.  Of course, I would do it.  But some days i know i would give in to temptation and nibble something.

[Slywalker]

Interesting thread.  Makes one think of what could be.

After kidney failure, dialysis, transplant with surgical errors, I would say Yes, sign me up for the water and food alternative.  I could give up the food to have lived without the constant tiredness, bloated fluid filled body, etc.  Hemo dialysis made me very sick.  PD dialysis was much better but ended my evening life - go home from work, hook up to the cycler and no life to speak of during that time.  But I was alive - so that is a great thing.  So, yes, I am pretty sure if I could have had the magical drink I would go for that.  There are other great joys of life than just food.  (And, yes, I'm very fond of food actually but I think I would do whatever it would've taken to not have all the negative symptoms of CKD.)

Sandyb

 

[sickofbeingsick]

With everything I've gone through in the last 10 years--the physical trauma, the emotional toll...YES. I would trade it all for the IV and the water. In fact, if I could see into the future THEN what my life would be like, I NEVER would have started dialysis.

[petey]

My husband Marvin (who first start dialysis in 1995, in-center hemo for over five years, transplant for three years in the middle, back on dialysis for the last five years -- now on home hemo for the last 16 months) says "NO."  His exact words:  "Life is good.  Dialysis is a minor inconvenience.  There's a difference between 'living' and 'just existing.'  The no-food-and-water-only thing sounds like just existing to me.  Dialysis allows me to go on LIVING."  Marvin said the no-food thing would come with its own set of limitations, own problems, own inconveniences.  You'd be trading one thing for another, and he believes he'll just keep the one he has.

Also, Marvin has found that he's able to eat everything he wants (limited portions of the "no no" foods).  He doesn't deny himself any pleasures.  He takes his binders faithfully, has 6 home hemo treatments a week, and his lab work is PERFECT (probably better than mine, and I'm the "healthy" one). 

Marvin did stipulate that this would be his answer if he knew then what he knows now.  He says dialysis isn't so bad (and he'll soon have his 2,000th treatment).  He's learned to live with it, learned to adjust to it, learned that it's all in the way you accept it.  He says if he didn't know how dialysis would be and was offered this no-food option, he might take it.  But, he does know that he can live with dialysis, and he wouldn't change it (except for that second transplant he's still hoping for........).

[Rerun]

Yes, I would trade all the water I could drink and 3 nutrition drinks a day, no hunger pains for a normal healthy active working life.  In a heart beat.  I stand around and watch people eat what I can't have already.  I'm use to that. 

I hope your study or whatever you are doing can bring this to reality!   

[Thesunwillshinetomorrow]

Right away this made me think of my little guy. He has an acquired brain injury. I have been a Foster Parent since 94. My little guy was placed with me when he was only 8 weeks old. I spent 4 days in the hospital with him before I was able to bring him home. I went to the hospital expecting to be able to bring him home the very next day however while he was in the hospital he had contracted influenza A....ugga!
For the next 10 months we struggled trying to get him to feed.....10 months of carrying a bottle around all the time just hoping he would take an ounce here or there....
Finally, and in all honesty I did my absolute best to try to avoid this however....it was time to insert a g-tube into his abdomin. He was at first hooked up to his feed pump for 18 hrs a day. Then we were able to speed up the pump. (That came over the course of time). Then it was, "bolus" feeds. Then came the backpack 🎒. We were mobile. We could do a lot of moving around and feeding at the same time.
My understanding is/was he could not "orchestrate" the movements in his mouth to allow him to suck and then swallow. Then....his brain didn't activate the, "closing of the airway" quick enough so then he was aspirating some of his meal. G-tube solved this.
I can give him tastes of food....and as someone who enjoys their food that brought me pleasure....more than him. If you saw his face when I put something like chocolate syrup on his lips you'd understand what I mean.
He is such a happy boy and I believe brings a lot of pleasure to the people that he meets, and we meet a lot of people,  He inspires me.....in ways I never would have imagined.
I guess this question just made me think of him....and I thought....he is living that life as we speak. I do hope that if he could communicate what he would choose I would hope he would choose YES...I would do that. Cause in actuality he is. He deals with so so many other issues on top of that one however......everyday I am blessed with his smile. I believe he loves life.
It makes me think of that saying, "You may be one small person in this world...but you may be the world to one small person". 

[MooseMom]

Aw, TSWST, you are a blessing to this world and to that little boy of yours.  Because of you, his sun will shine tomorrow.

[Thesunwillshinetomorrow]

MooseMom,
Thank you.  YOU are a special woman I believe and I've only just, "met" you. 

[GA_DAWG]

Only if I can still have BBQ, fried chicken, bacon, cheeseburgers and fries. With choclate shakes, beer, and Coke to wash them down.

[GA_DAWG]

Seems to me the enjoyment of life is things like sharing food, beverage, and fun with family and friends. Not merely existing.

[Charlie B53]

I really LIKE water.  The mountains of the PNW there is a place I used to go hunt in the Winter.  A little bubbling spring, frozen on the edges of this little 1 foot 'or less.  I would lay down next to it and stick my lips in the frigid water and drink.  Heaven!

Every trip I would take a cup and fill a jug to take home.  Lynnwood/Everett water comes from a high mountain lake, ALMOST as good as that tiny spring water, but adulterated with the poisons added by Mankind. Dissolved mineral content is very low, almost non-existent. Mother-In-Law came up from Missouri for a few weeks to visit, couldn't drink enough of the water.  MO water, here, saturated with limestone.  I have a whole house filter but that only removes any solids. I installed a Reverse Osmosis unit under the kitchen sink so we have some actually decent water.  From our 1000 foot well.  And NO poisons.  Iced, with ice made from that same RO water, it is delicious!

As much as I like some foodstuffs, I could consider giving up eating if I could have good water like my RO water, PNW water maybe, our water from that tiny spring.

I was a very physical 'Guy'.  Run, Jump, Play. I had long hair, and lots of hair on my legs.  Now my legs are bald and covered with Lizard Skin. I am exhausted all the time.  I hardly get outside and do anything, especially not when the weather is cold.  So to give up eating for the opportunity to be totally healthy again, Yea, I would definately have to be a Candidate.

Life isn't about what you can eat and enjoy,  I think that may border on gluttony.

Life is to get out and DO!  BE with others actively.  Talk a hike, go for a walk, Dance, Play, Run, Laugh, Fall down and skin your knee.

Sitting in this warm house sorta sucks.  Trapped, caged like an animal.