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Dialysis: What type of dialysis are you on?
Kidney & Bladder | Last Active: Feb 10 3:10pm | Replies (17)Comment receiving replies
Hi Ginger - thanks for sharing this information. Our little home in AZ ("the bunker") is off-grid, 4 1/2 miles from pavement. We rely on solar with backup generator. I'm not mechanically inclined and there always seems to be something that needs tweeking. I have been telling my husband for years that when we got frailer, we'd have to be out of there. We have a big, beautiful home in WI with all of the conveniences but he likes the desert and doesn't want to leave. I know at some point soon I'm going to have to put my foot down and am dreading it. I'm glad I found a psychologist that I really like - think it helps.
My husband commented on my memory so many times I went through Mayo's 3 hour dementia testing - so now I know I'm good there. Because I owned/ran/was a caregiver at a small group home for the frail elderly, I think I'll be able to handle being a dialysis partner though it feels like I'm facing a long prison sentence as we won't be able to travel and do some of the things I want to do in my own remaining years.
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@ldrlaw As you are gearing up for a "new normal", let me tell you a story, which happens to be true.
My husband is a kidney transplant recipient six years ago. Before that he was on peritoneal dialysis for about 5.5 years. He thought his life as he knew it would pretty much be over once he was on dialysis. That was proven wrong. He took it as a challenge to be successful. He continued to do his road trips on a motorcycle, usually pulling a tent trailer, and travel for business as needed. Yes, he couldn't be quite as spontaneous as before, but he would have supplies drop-shipped to destinations, and always carried two days of supplies with him on his motorcycle camping trips. When he was using his Jeep for camping, he rigged an inverter for his battery, to power his machine. He did manual exchanges also in the middle of nowhere, using solar power to heat his bags of fluid, and an insulated bag to keep them warm.
While there may be adjustments when moving to dialysis, no one is asking you to give up completely those things you love, and our doctors want nothing more than for you to carry on as much as normal as possible. Make accommodations, accept changes, make it a challenge to come up with what will work for you. You can still do a cruise, take a train trip, etc. It almost becomes a game, and you're the winner, coming up with creative solutions.
What are some of the things you want to do in your remaining years?
Ginger