Ever think of not going to Dialysis...

[RichardMEL]

no cupcakes but I did have my big tub of M&M's and I bought them all coffee....

[Des]

Lucky them.......

[kitkatz]

I threw a party last November for my tenth anniversary on dialysis. I called it a Here's to Life party.

[dwcrawford]

Monday they asked if I needed anything and I said coffee  (I really needed it) and they  laughed.  How rude!

[Tinah1968]

That is funny Dan I asked for Coffee Monday too... I got a cup from the Nurse he is awsome. I talk to all the techs and nurses but I still don't want to go to Dialysis

[dwcrawford]

they gave you coffee???  that settles everything.  I'm transferring.  Roy's mom is bringing fresh bagels on friday.

Gaylee (dietician) came around today and told me to eat more.  She suggested a handful of nuts each evening.  I said cool... donuts?

[kidneyless_In_PA]

They gave you coffee? Boy we can't even give them money to get us a sprite out of soda machine when our stomachs are upset. Yes I can say right now I don't want to go tomorrow not because of the treatment I handle the treatment fine and I have 3 friends on my new shift 1 lady and 2 guys. The lady rides with me that is how we became friends, she is on the machine 9 years and still no computer, one guy is on 5 years and wants to work but is to ill. The other guy is on 3 years (he stopped taking his medicine) and I will be on 1 year September 25,2008 and you know what we all have different reasons to not show up, but we are always there.
   If boring is keeping you from going get something to keep you occupied like I did. I got a Nintendo  ds. I sit and play games on it, and sometime they come to get me off and I say already.I even bring crocheting in when I am starting a new blanket the one tech laughs at me every time but you know what I don't care cus if it was not for people like me she wouldn't have a job.
  So go to your treatments, if at all possible. If you are to sick that is one thing but to miss it cus you don't feel like it well if you miss it you would feel a lot worse.

[Hanify]

When I did in centre haemo they had a coffee/tea lady come around to offer you tea/coffee/milo.  If you were on outside of those times the nurses would get you one.  They had no problem other than that you factored that drink into your dialysis.  I didn't realise how lucky I was at the time - although have very very fond memories of my time there - apart from the actual dialysis that is.

[marti824]

all of these posts make me think of the tee shirt I saw inthe IHD store, it says, "I just come here for the free ice"  That's about all we get at my center.  But, that's okay too, I just want to get my treatment done and get the Hell out.

[dwcrawford]

the thing about my center is that she would have gone after my coffee but I was joking.  seems silly to drink stuff while they are zapping fluids out of you.  my nurse gave me a chocolate cupcake today and I gave the tech my Special K breakfast bar....  It's all cool.

[twirl]

it is not all cool where I go

[Tinah1968]

Wow they won't give you anything even if you give them money>>??Ours go on break and they say "hey im going to starbucks /mcdonalds you want me to bring you something back?? I usually say no. but they are always willling.. Come on over DW :-)

[kidneyless_In_PA]

they won't give us ice either. They won't give us anything, let alone offer us anything.

[dwcrawford]

Sometimes the patients forget to say thank you or something nice to them.  A little  kidness to people who have those horrible jobs will go a long way to make you both more comfortable.  Wouldn't you hate to work with grumpy dialysis people all day hooking up all that blood and and cleaning up who knows what.

10 people from my unit died this summer.  (I only knew of one in my bay) That has to be depressing.  One of my techs was crying yesterday because of this nice old lady who died.  These people are so sick when they come in and the staff takes and interest in all of them.  I think they are heros -- even if they don't get me coffee or cocktails.

[Tinah1968]

I agree Dan 2 people died last month i could see the emotion in the techs eyes when the chair becomes empty. . regardless the techs and Nurses get attached to the patients. it is hard not to. They always try to make us feel comfortable. Well at least at my center they do. If your nice to them they are nice to you. 

[RichardMEL]

When I did in centre haemo they had a coffee/tea lady come around to offer you tea/coffee/milo.  If you were on outside of those times the nurses would get you one.  They had no problem other than that you factored that drink into your dialysis.  I didn't realise how lucky I was at the time - although have very very fond memories of my time there - apart from the actual dialysis that is.

I think this is a very English/Australian/NZ thing. We too have similar. On my afternoon shift they give us "lunch" which consists of six pretty poor sandwiches made sometime in the stone age, plus a cup of fruit for "desert" - usually peacnes or pears and a cup of tea/coffee or water/cordial if patients want. A nurse the other day claimed the sandwiches were weighed specially for the dialysis unit so they could factor in the gain during the dialysis session (we get 0.5 extra added for this, mostly the drink and washback). Our PSA who gets the drinks and stuff she makes the nicest cup of tea. Whenever Maria is sick or off things totally go to hell!!!  I love her. She's totally on the list to be taken out to lunch when I get my transplant!!!

In the mornings they come around with an much inferior cheese and biscuit tray - I think the morning patients get ripped off! LOL.

Any other time the staff will always get us a drink or ice or something if we want. Sometimes I shout them coffee so one of them will go to the cafe and get a real barista made coffee - usually for all the staff and maybe one extra for me or any patients that want one. I think it works because we are really a close knit community there and all care about eachother.

Dan I see nothing wrong with adding a bit of fluid when they're taking stuff off. Sometimes we need it to "refill" ourselves when fluid is being taken off. Besides I do 5 hour shift and you get thirsty. Sometimes I adore my cup of tea with "lunch" because it's about the only "free" fluid I get (as in i don't really have to count it against my weight gain given it's already factored into the dialysis treatment).

Now I must remember to take the M&M's in on Saturday!!! 

[dwcrawford]

I take a stale bagel and a GS apple each day and always have a snack bar of some kind on hand.  Lots of people drink a lot while on.  I just never thought I would but if I get thirsty I'd get something.  Some guys around me (and a woman) gain 4,5 and even 6 literes each sessions.  Mine is always less than one so, except for the one time I haven't had any problems with removal.

Staff cannot each anything on the floor.  If somebody takes them something they have to take it to their break area.  We can eat anything and they will go for things for you if you ask.  Some of the stuff that a few people each smells really, really bad to me.  This really big lady who gains upwards of 6 liters a session has a husband who brings in fried chicken, macdonalds burgers, fries, etc.  That smells really good and makes me hungry.  lol  They have a picnic everyday.  Anyway, I get all the food I need (except for what the dietician yells at me about (but that's another story).

[Hanify]

"This really big lady who gains upwards of 6 liters a session has a husband who brings in fried chicken, macdonalds burgers, fries, etc"

Oh my gosh!  How thoughtless.

[dwcrawford]

twice they thought she was going to die.  she's very sweet.  no good english though.  Her name sounds like Anna Bananna but when you try to say it she keeps correcting you.  funny lady and so, so sad.

[RichardMEL]

The sad thing is that either these people are overloading on fluid out of ignorance or possibly because they just don't care. At some point it WILL most likely come back to bite them in a really bad way.... Every time I see stuff like that I shudder internally and thank myself that I have a will to not overdo it.

As for bringing in the fast food and stuff.. that is VERY inconsiderate of others!! I don't think the nurses in my unit would allow it... or rather they would but I think they'd make a comment. If we have "goodies" we share it around with everyone who wants some... so cake or whatever. Some people are just selfish and inconsiderate of others.

[KICKSTART]

Obviously with doing PD i dont have to go to dialysis , but i do attend clinic every few weeks and we are all sat in the waiting room as appts often overun by as much as one hour and all the time we are sat waiting the nurses (who are rushed off their feet!) are busy making coffee for all the staff and doctors. In fact its not unusual to go in to my doctor for an update and they sit there drinking coffee all the way through .. how considerate is that !

[dwcrawford]

I thought about it just now... but I'm going anyway.  Don't anybody do anything fun till I get back.

[kidneyless_In_PA]

I think of it every day off but I end up going.

[Lucinda]

I was doing my dialysis late afternoon and now I do it at 3.00 in the morning.  I don't sleep well anyway and it takes me about an hour to set up the machine and get on and then I drift in and out of sleep for four hours and then get up, have a shower and the dialysis part of the night almost feels like a dream.  I almost feel like I don't do it at all.  Weird, but it works for me.

[kidneyless_In_PA]

I would love that, we don't have night time dialysis. They won't even consider it.