How Dialysis Fits into My Daily Routine?

By Bill Peckham

The third question I was asked to address at the conference on Saturday How Dialysis Fits into My Daily Routine? gets to the issue of logistics. There is of course some overlap with the answers to the previous two questions here and here but rather than answer as I did on Saturday I'll recount my day today.

Last night's dialysis treatment finished about 7:15 this morning. I was making coffee by 7:45. I have a four hour shift today but it's a flexible start so I'll go in after I receive my monthly NxStage supply order. While waiting I write a blog report, feed my internet habit, do a load of laundry and take care of emails. 72 boxes of dialysate arrive and it's off to work.

Before starting I walk the dog along the river (the dog works when I work and he'll be at work Thursday and Friday while I'm in LA - he has way more hours than me). Work is an easy day - I'm training to use a new piece of equipment - a very elaborate flat bed printer and there aren't any real signs to produce - I print Watchmen posters for the walls and over thirty posters for NKC that I'll cut out next week. At the end of the shift I can operate the new printer. It's pretty cool - it can print directly on Plexiglas.

After work I am busy on the internet and the phone, posting about the petition and returning calls. The dog eats and with daylight savings time there is about an hour of daylight so the dog and I head to the beach to watch the sun set behind the Olympic mountains. We take a 20 minute walk up into a green belt and then loop back to Duke's as the sky turns red. I order a bowl of crab chowder to go, down a strawberry lemon drop while watching Seton Hall and Syracuse and head home.

Back on the internet while eating delicious chowder and then about an hour of TV. I set up my NxStage for tonight's treatment with the TV on and the my second load of laundry in the wash. After the machine is set up I figure out what to pack and now I'm writing this post. In about 30 minutes I'll walk the dog and then I'll finish the day watching the Daily Show as I get on dialysis. 

The trade off is the more I work the less I blog and I give volunteer activities a high priority so all of this is scheduled around meeting commitments. This week is also different because of the travel. Tonight will be my forth treatment in a row. Normally I go 3 on one off, 2 on one off. If I wasn't dialyzing tonight I would, ideally, have spent more time on life chores - bills, the yard, the kitchen, etc. - some nights it turns into more time on the internet, or eating at the bar and a second drink.

If I wasn't dialyzing overnight I would have had to walk the dog on the way home from work, pack and make myself something to eat. I'd get on dialysis by 7 if all went well. For the next three+ hours, during the six + years I was on short daily (9/2001 - 1/2008) I'd watch TV, and idly surf the internet. Maybe a friend would come over, or I would be on the phone, or slowly typing out one handed responses to emails or discussion board posts. DSEN would not exist or would be very different. There would be no petition effort.

Home extended overnight hemodialysis fits well into my busy and enjoyable life. As I wrote my dialysis gives me the freedom to struggle and it is what has opened the door for me to provide a new view.

Comments

[Peter Laird, MD]

Bill,

Most people that have normal kidneys don't do nearly as much as you do while on daily dialysis. Have a great trip and I pray that you are able to continue as the voice of this disease for many years to come.

Cheers,

Peter

[Miriam Lippel Blum]

Amen to what Peter said. You are a wonder!