I have to Rant about this lady at my clinic......

[kidneyless_In_PA]

When I was on the 2nd shift on Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday. There was this lady who was on before coming to hemo dialysis from pd, which she didn't do all the time so when she had her gallbladder surgery the Dr. had a catheter put in so she could go on hemo, so I watched her but not closely cus at the time I was pretty sick myself, the Tuesday before I almost died I signed myself off cus my arms and legs was really hurting me, she came out not to long after I did. I asked her so nice that I felt my sugar level went really high in other words very nice and sweet did she sign herself off too and she snapped at me (keep in mind I was not feeling good) I said to her that she doesn't have to snap at me I don't deserve that. Since then I don't talk to her and when she gets my machine she always goes great. Well I just found out the other day that EVERY TREATMENT  she signs herself off after only 1 and 1/2 hours. She is suppose to be on 4 hours 15 minutes. Now I hear that they want her to see a shrink cus they think she might  have mental problems since she does that every time. I just don't get it. I have so many things wrong with me and I do my best to keep living, granted right now I don't want to go to my treatment tomorrow cus of that guy that is threatening me, the clinic isn't gonna do anything about it yet. What are they waiting for ? For him to kill me? Aww then they won't get the money for my butt to be in the seat. It is almost 4 thousand a month times all the patients they have boy that is a lot of money. 

[marti824]

rant away!  I never understood how some people just don't show up for treatment.  granted there are time when I don't want to go, but i just feel worse if i don't. so I keep trucking along.  Nasty people suck, and when you aren't feeling well, they suck even more.  I hope you start to feel better soon.  What about this guy threatening you?  what's up with that?

[Romona]

I'm sorry you have to put up with all this!

[kidneyless_In_PA]

I switched to first shift so 1 I am away from people like her. I was so wiped out on Tuesday I missed out on having him arrested for threatening me. So now I had to promise that anytime I am near him I have my cell in my pocket. I really don't want to go today and get threatening again or maybe even worse, but part of me hopes he puts a hand on me so I can have him arrested for assault. I would love to see him being taking out in handcuffs.

[RichardMEL]

The thing to remember is the only person this woman is really hurting in the long run - is herself. If she's only doing 1.5 hours rather than 4.25 well she's getting a quarter of the dialysis she SHOULD be getting.. and what she "should" be getting is usually around a minimum anyway.. so basically she's just going to get sicker and sicker if she keeps that up. She's also being very non compliant so if there ever was a transplant in the offing you'd think she wouldn't be considered a viable candidate.

I think it is frustrating to see someone act like that, but when I see stuff like that and suffer through my 5 hours I remember that everyone has their own path in life and makes their own decisions (either mentally capable or not.. which is another issue). I just feel sorry for those kinds of people more than anything. I just try to do what is right by me and not worry too much about what others do..

The thing that would bother me the most about that situation as you suggest is that the center is basically profiting from her by taking the $$$ (we presume) for her full treatment and never actually giving it (though to be fair we do not have any idea what the accounting is about that). That sort of attitude would probably foster an attitude of "who cares we get the money anyway" amongst the staff which is not very good I reckon.

I know at my unit the nurses would absolutely tell the patients all the good reasons why they should NOT come off early!!!

[RightSide]

Well I just found out the other day that EVERY TREATMENT  she signs herself off after only 1 and 1/2 hours. She is suppose to be on 4 hours 15 minutes. Now I hear that they want her to see a shrink cus they think she might  have mental problems since she does that every time. I just don't get it.

Yeah, I have one of those ladies at my center too, during my shift.  She comes to dialysis only when she feels like it, forcing the nurses to phone her at her home to plead with her to come in for treatment; she doesn't follow any dietary regimen (in fact, she eats salty nachos during the dialysis treatment); she tries to leave early, and starts SCREAMING when the nurse and techs plead with her to stay longer.

Maybe these two ladies are sisters.   

I don't want to say if either of these ladies has any emotional problems.  But even if they do, unless they're truly psychotic, they're still responsible for their own lives.  And if this is the life they're choosing, then so be it.  It's a slow form of suicide, that's all.

[RichardMEL]

yeah and the ladies probably feel harassed and put upon when the staff urge them to stay on... umm hello, these people are doing their job and actually trying to keep YOU ALIVE!!!!

just sad really. very sad.

[kidneyless_In_PA]

it is very sad to see it, I always wonder and actually hope when they put her on when I am almost done, that she stays for the full treatment. I know how the treatment goes, it does get boring but most of her shift thinks she needs a cigarette that is why she gets off. I know I stay for my whole treatment when I am feeling good. When I was sick I did sign myself off cus my arms and legs was hurting so bad I had tears in my eyes then a nurse saw what was happening, they kept taking me way below my dry weight and that makes the arms and legs hurt. Once they stopped doing that and just clean my blood I was ok then.

[greco02]

I thought that when you got to the point where you finally needed dialysis one of the symptoms was crouchy/crabby demeanor.  Sounds like she got it right!    Kidneyless, can you take anyone with you to be your advocate?

[dwcrawford]

It seems like you might be happier in a private environment.  Have you and your husband considered home dialysis?

[kidneyless_In_PA]

yes, but the only thing they will offer is pd and I can't have that cus I had to many stomach surgeries, I have a lot of scar tissue.