Can't wait to get home dialysis; getting PEEVED at going to center.

[jmintuck]

I have in center dialysis right now. Just going to get the fistula set up to be used full time; the catheter removed, then remind the doctor again about home hemo. Can't wait to do home hemo on my terms within reason. The diet is not all that bad. I don't know why I don't complain about the renal diet very much. I just either see it and forget it. Once in a while I will eat a SMALL piece of whatever it is, but either snack size, or just a taste or two. Then I quickly abort mission. With something like date cake, I just cut off a small bit off the side and have that for a couple tastes and throw out the rest when it is offered. VERY sparing on that sort of food. Savor it very slowly and then off for another while.

I will have to check again with a dietitian when I get ready with home dialysis.  See what the dietitian says about intakes of WHAT and what to do about stuff. Besides Starfruit IS a poison. WhatEVAR you do DO NOT TOUCH Starfruit!! That, I found out on the diet sheet they gave me in the hospital back in Spring.

When I get home hemodialysis, I will then not hav to worry about missing appointments at a center. I don't care to miss those.

[Whamo]

Even if you're doing dialysis at home they usually have you come in once a month to meet with your nurse, social worker, nutritionist, and doctor.  They read your flow sheet and evaluate your blood test.  They pay close attention to phosphorus, calcium, and potassium.

[jmintuck]

I won't be doing home hemo, it might be PD, POSSIBLY one day.

[kristina]

Hello jmintuck,
I have had in-center-dialysis for almost two years now and I don't complain. Why? Because there are professional dialysis-nurses who are approachable and helpful and there are also helpful, approachable doctors, so if there are questions or a need of help, there is someone medical to approach and/or answer questions.This is most important to me, because dialysis-treatment is all about survival. Being in a dialysis-center also makes me feel a little bit more secure about my treatment, because if there is a medical problem occurring, it gets solved at the center and that keeps me from wondering whether I should approach or involve a doctor or not. Dialysis-nurses are assisting to make sure things are getting "under way" to get sorted.
But the most important point for me is the fact, that I already do lots of dialysis-treatment-work myself in terms of taking great care about my vegetarian diet, taking great care about my weight, taking great care to keep as fit as possible, then I also take great care about my dry weight, I also take great care about my daily fluid-intake, I also take great care about my daily showering (a bit tricky with a chest-cath) and many more issues connected with my dialysis-treatment and my own survival-input on a daily basis etc.
Being in a dialysis-center assures me that "the rest of my regular treatment" is being assisted for by a professional and approachable medical staff.
In fact, I look at my dialysis-treatment as a team-effort, where I give my very best to survive and the nurses are very professional and helpful and we try our best to work together as a team.
Best wishes from Kristina.

[Simon Dog]

If there was one right answer, everyone would be doing it that way.

I know home hemo would be unbearable for some people.  For me, it's what makes this entire journey tolerable.

[kristina]

If there was one right answer, everyone would be doing it that way.

I know home hemo would be unbearable for some people.  For me, it's what makes this entire journey tolerable.

A very true word, Simon. And it just goes to show that since we need our regular life-saving-treatment,
we chose according to what we feel most comfortable with.
Best wishes from Kristina.

[Michael Murphy]

That's why they sell more then one flavor of ice cream. 

[Simon Dog]

I have never felt "less professionally cared for" by doing my hemo at home.    The NxStage support people are great; the fire department (ie, ambulance) in my town has an almost instantaneous response time; the home care RN or someone covering for her is available  for advice 24x7, and if I have any problems (like a fistula "acting up") the care team makes it very easy for me to temporarily switch to in-center until they and I are sure everything is cool.   When I had post-surgical issues of mobility impairment making home HD impossible, and a dangerously low HGB (6.2), I was able to get in-center without difficulty, and stat HGB and INR every treatment.  I had orders for medication adjustments from my neph based on that treatment's lab results before I was off the machine, plus, he answers medical advice requests by direct email.

Oh, plus I cheat by having two RNs (one with a doctorate; the other with a Harvard masters) in the house just in case.

The resources made available to me to help with this adventure are actually pretty incredible.    Despite the flaws in the medical system, I am fortunate to have been born in a country where the question "can you afford it?" is not asked of dialysis patients (though it is indeed asked of transplant patients).

I also take great care about my daily showering (a bit tricky with a chest-cath)

www.korshield.com

Worked great for me.

[kristina]

That's why they sell more then one flavor of ice cream.

Thank you Michael ...  as usual, you have "hit the nail on the head" again....   

[kristina]

I have never felt "less professionally cared for" by doing my hemo at home.    The NxStage support people are great; the fire department (ie, ambulance) in my town has an almost instantaneous response time; the home care RN or someone covering for her is available  for advice 24x7, and if I have any problems (like a fistula "acting up") the care team makes it very easy for me to temporarily switch to in-center until they and I are sure everything is cool.   When I had post-surgical issues of mobility impairment making home HD impossible, and a dangerously low HGB (6.2), I was able to get in-center without difficulty, and stat HGB and INR every treatment.  I had orders for medication adjustments from my neph based on that treatment's lab results before I was off the machine, plus, he answers medical advice requests by direct email.

Oh, plus I cheat by having two RNs (one with a doctorate; the other with a Harvard masters) in the house just in case.

The resources made available to me to help with this adventure are actually pretty incredible.    Despite the flaws in the medical system, I am fortunate to have been born in a country where the question "can you afford it?" is not asked of dialysis patients (though it is indeed asked of transplant patients).

I also take great care about my daily showering (a bit tricky with a chest-cath)

www.korshield.com

Worked great for me.

Many thanks Simon ... and I have been thinking about the korshield-shower-protection, but to be honest, I have not found the courage yet to make any use of it...
... I still feel so very protective about my life-saving-chest-access, that I am much too nervous to let any water come near it, even with a korshield-shower-protection...
... Perhaps I need much more time to find my way in this and perhaps - with a bit of luck - one day I might feel a bit more relaxed about it all and might go for the korshield-protection ...
... Unfortunately I have observed in "my" dialysis-center too many accidents happening to people who have been overly relaxed about their access  - to the point of appearing uncaring -
- and as a result they have been in lots of medical bother... Having observed this makes it that much harder for me to even think about any relaxation in this  ...
Best wishes and good luck from Kristina.

[Simon Dog]

I have been thinking about the korshield-shower-protection, but to be honest, I have not found the courage yet to make any use of it...

It works best if you also get one of those handheld shower extensions rather than step under the shower head.

I often showered immediately before treatment and never had any comments about  a wet bandage.

[kristina]

I have been thinking about the korshield-shower-protection, but to be honest, I have not found the courage yet to make any use of it...

It works best if you also get one of those handheld shower extensions rather than step under the shower head.

I often showered immediately before treatment and never had any comments about  a wet bandage.

Thank you Simon,
I do use a handheld shower extension in a very careful way and "for the rest" I use a flannel,
but I would never dare to get my bandage wet because of possibilities to "produce" a problem etc.
Best wishes and please take care from Kristina.