Too young to be in clinic

[Zach]

When I started hemodialysis, it was just a few weeks before my 24th birthday.
Both the early morning and evening shifts have people in their 20's and 30's.  Why, we could have a Baseball Team!
 

[paddbear0000]

I hate that I'm the youngest one at my unit (I'm 21). Any time someone new visits a patient or there's a new patient, they stare at me through my entire treatment like they can't believe I'm there. It's really weird when people my age come to visit their grandparent on dialysis, because they really stare. I hate it. It makes me feel like some sort of animal in a zoo. Maybe I should start charging admission. 

I think it would be fun if you bring a camera (or better yet, a video camera!) and just start taking pictures or filming whoever is staring at you. As soon as they feel like they're being stared at like zoo animals, like you are, then they'll stop! 

[Jannie]

i just started hemo dialysis as an putpatient Aug 2-.  i really hate it. I look around the unit and everyone is OLD. I'm only 54, I know it sounds old. But in my head I'm still a young woman. I talked to the guy in the next chair. He told me he is 76 and has been dialysis for 12 years. He had a chance for a transplant but turned it down so someone younger could get a kidney. That was nice of him. I hope I'll never be 76 and still going to dialysis. I dream there will be a day in the not-too-distrant future when I will have a working kidney transplant and am used to the immunosuppressant medications. Think I'll dream about that.  By the way, there is no such thing as false hope. All hope is truthful.

[st789]

When I was in the hospital, the dialysis nurse was sympathetic to see how young I am (25 yrs. but look like 18) and hooking up to the machine.  She   complimented me on my look and it definitely made me forget about the depression situation I am in.

A sense of humor is what get me through rough times.  I always could use a little laugh.

[thegrammalady]

let's face it, there is NO age "restriction" when it comes to kidney disease. the general public just THINKS it's a disease of the elderly, if they think about it at all.

[Jannie]

This is such a sad topic. None of us should be on dialysis. At my center, I see 10 to 16 people running at the same time. Most of them are in their 70's or 80's. By the way, I am "only" 54. One man talked to me a little once. He told me not to drink too much, and told me he likes this center because the staff is so good, so attentive. He told me he's 76 and he has been dialyzing for 12 years. He had a chance for a transplant but turned it down so a younger person could get a kidney. How generous!  The next time I saw him, I said hello but he seemed to be in a daze. He just sat in his wheelchair and stared. It was scary. I don't want to end up like him.

[RichardMEL]

I think different people handle it differently - even the older ones. There's this chinese lady at my unit. I understand she's been dialyising for 11 years. I think she's in her 60's and has just the most delightful husband.. they are both so cute.. speak little English but join in with us when they can. I've learned a little mandarin to say hello and goodbye and the delight when i first wished them goodbye in their language was so cute.. now whenever they see me they yell hello and grin and smile.... and some other guys in their 70's are pretty spritely and nice... others. yeah have the daze thing.. I think a lot of it has to do with coming to terms with the situation and how you handle it. Some can deal more than others... I think that's a very human reaction.

[fluffy]

im pretty sure im the youngest at the hospital i go to, the youngets person i've seen there is in her 30's. but i suppose when you go is a factor im on monday and friday at 5 pm

[CCHT_8o8]

Too young???  I've seen one pediatric patient at our clinic... sad to see but it can happen to all walks of life.  I'm glad our pediatric patient was lucky enough to get a donor kidney from a young cadaver... she was 10 at the time of dialysis, and is now 16 years old.  I believe the youngest one we have now is about 24 years old. 

[Bajanne]

This really isn't the right place to talk about Social Workers but I have to tell you my experience last week.

Aahhhh that was a good day.   

OMG!! Sooooo funny rerun. 

I hadn't seen Rerun's post before and it nearly killed me laughing.  I LOVE IT!

[paddbear0000]

I'm 30 and not on dialysis yet, but every time I go into my neph's office, everyone in the waiting room is at least 60+ years old. I get stared at by everyone and a pathetic look. It's very depressing.

[angela515]

I'm 30 and not on dialysis yet, but every time I go into my neph's office, everyone in the waiting room is at least 60+ years old. I get stared at by everyone and a pathetic look. It's very depressing.

Ask them if they wanna take a pic, it lasts longer   

[paddbear0000]

Hmmm...Maybe I'll hand one of them my camera phone next time!    

[glitter]

they probably won't know how to work it-
 
I have a  stereo I bought 5 years ago- and (lost the book) only have one radio station choice because I can't remember how to change the station....why did they do away with knobs again?

[paddbear0000]

they probably won't know how to work it-
 
I have a  stereo I bought 5 years ago- and (lost the book) only have one radio station choice because I can't remember how to change the station....why did they do away with knobs again?

I ask myself that question all the time. I have CD player/stereo that I too lost the manual to. I have to use the remote to work it, but can't remember how. I'm not good with electronics. My husband is an electrical engineer and has a million components hooked up to the TV. He had to get a universal remote called the Harmony just so I could use everything. You literally only have to push a button that says "Watch TV," "Listen to music," Watch a DVD," etc. It's great! God forbid the remote dies, because I won't know what to do! 

[Neo]

Im 29 and i  got sick at 19 had a transplant at 21 it failed but because of a problem getting my pills or I'd probably still have it but anyway ive been back on since i was 25 im 29 now and I look pretty young as you can see by my pic I still get I.D'd at clubs..LoL

[paddbear0000]

Im 29 and i  got sick at 19 had a transplant at 21 it failed but because of a problem getting my pills or I'd probably still have it but anyway ive been back on since i was 25 im 29 now and I look pretty young as you can see by my pic I still get I.D'd at clubs..LoL

I'm constantly getting carded! The "kids" at school all think I just graduated from high school! They are very good at making me feel old. Especially when they start talking about bands! It's fun to mess with them tho. I find that bringing in one of those old floppy disks (the ones that were actually floppy) and talking to one of the older students about it, really throws 'em for a loop! They get this look on their face, then they look at the disk like it's from the 1800's! What fun!!   

[highlite36]

Talk about looking young....  I'm 26....  I went to a movie last week that was rated PG-13 and I was ASKED if I was old enough to make it into the movie...  The WORST part was that after I paid for the ticket, I looked at it and realized that the reason why it was so cheap was that the guy charged me a CHILD's price rather than an adult......  FUNNY!!!!  I guess I shouldn't mind that I age this well.......  Maybe when I turn 50, I'll actually look 20ish because I know that at 50, I'll have gone through MUCH MORE than any other youngun I know.....  :-)