For those of you who do not know, I am currently a dialysis recipient resultant of kidney failure due to high blood pressure/hypertension. Many others are dealing with kidney failure because of either high blood pressure and/or diabetes and have preconceived notions, like I did, about dialysis treatment. I must say that it is not the horrific ordeal that I imagined…
With the exception of a mild to moderate sting during installation of a temporary dialysis catheter in the neck (vas cath) or chest (permacath) or administration of local anesthesia (via an injection) during placement of either of these, it is essentially painless.
If you have a designated driver to transport you home post either procedure or during installation of a graft or fistula (which are more ideal or safer dialysis accesses), IV Sedation (twilight sleep) or General Anesthesia may be administered. You may occasionally nap or sleep or be awake for the most part during IV Sedation. You would be put under during administration of General Anesthesia. You would not feel a thing during IV Sedation or during administration of General Anesthesia until they wear off, at which point pain meds would be prescribed to you until you heal.
You would be pricked with a needle during dialysis treatment utilizing a graft or fistula; a topical gel (Lidocaine), Ethyl Chloride refridgerant spray, or a Hegu point ice massage* could be utilized to ease pain (*A Hegu ice massage yields higher effectiveness and is recommended for safe and fast pain reduction during hemodialyis).
Having my student loans forgiven helped even more, of course. Yes, if you have kidney failure and apply for Social Security, to which you are privileged, especially if you are on dialysis, your federal student loan debt will be forgiven, a Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge. In my case, nearly $53,000 of it was forgiven. In fact, any payments you’ve made towards your student loan debt after a certain period of time will be refunded to you. The downside to this is if you would like to further or complete your education within a three year monitoring period, your loans would be reinstated if you receive a new Direct or Perkins loan or TEACH Grant. The loan would additionally be reinstated if you receive a subsequent disbursement of the stated that was initially made before the disability date if the full amount of the subsequent disbursement is not returned within 120 days of the disbursement date. This should not be the case, however, because an individual with serious health challenges might be capable of performing any sedentary activity and yet at any point become incapacitated.
…It is important to follow the renal diet with kidney failure. Foods like bananas or tomatoes, etc. that are high in potassium could raise one’s potassium to dangerous or fatal levels or cause a heart attack, noting that potassium is used to execute death row inmates; low levels of potassium are too detrimental. Foods and beverages like dark sodas, etc. that are high in phosphorous are additionally discouraged…
High or low levels of potassium in dialysis recipients can cause Atrial Fibrillation. I personally have AFib while my potassium levels are always within proper range these days, nonetheless; it has been too low or high…
It is necessary, apparently, at least in certain cases, to reset the heart via cardioversion and/or ablation after high or low potassium has been resolved or treated to address persisting AFib, which could cause death when it is not properly treated. Regularly see a cardiologist and follow his or her directives for the sake of your heart health…
The ultimate goal for every dialysis recipient should be transplantation; it is definitively my personal goal. Until then, dialysis is essential, even in some instances of holistic kidney care. Not only does it purge the blood of toxins, it draws excess fluid that could get into the lungs and cause shortness of breath or death…
I was horrified of dialysis and, for a considerable length of time, I refused it. Doctors prescribed Sodium Bicarbonate and Furosemide (generic Lasix) to help purify my blood and draw excess fluid from me. These were effective to a certain extent. I came to a point, however, when I could no longer avoid dialysis. It was one weekend that I’d been rushed to the hospital via ambulance. The doctors examined me and drew blood for lab testing and returned to inform me of my need for emergency dialysis. In addition to the toxins in my blood, I had fluid on my lungs.
I thought of relatives of mine who had died from kidney disease and/or (in my mind) from dialysis; fact is, where one of my cousins whose situation I was knowledgeable of was concerned, is that he was not properly or routinely performing his at-home dialysis or attending to his heart health, and he died from a heart attack and the fact that he had no healthcare in the latter days of his life after he was no longer able to work and because of the delay in approval of his disability, which would have availed him Medicare for treatment had he lived to acquire it.
I fought until the Dr. was preparing to contact my family to inform them that I would die that particular weekend without dialysis. I thought of my children and the fact that they needed me, and I made the decision to follow the doctor’s order for dialysis. Not only was I short of breath, I could hardly walk with a walker, combining my shortness of breath and elevated heart rate…
I was weak post my initial rounds of dialysis, which was attributable, I believe, to heavy dosages of antibiotics that I was administered surrounding it. Plus, my blood was dangerously low and I had to have multiple blood transfusions.
After a few more dialysis treatments, finishing the antibiotics, getting the blood transfusions, taking meds and eventually having cardioversions to address my AFib, I felt better than I’ve ever felt in my life! My AFib returned, however, and my cardiologist is performing a cryoballoon ablation as a permanent fix.
Anyone reading this who needs dialysis, by all means get it. It might seem scary. Do it anyway. It will save your life!