Dialysis & CKD Blog Report 4/30

By Miriam Lippel Blum

Here are the CKD related blogs updated since my update on 4/27. You will note that more references to the swine flu are appearing both from advice for avoiding flu exposure and persons who have it.  So be careful out there, and be prepared.   If you have or know of a blog that should be on the list let Bill know. Comments in parentheses are my reactions or opinions.

• Dialysis from the sharp end of the needle the importance of N95 masks for dialysis patients in this  time of pandemic flu concern (Very important information for those getting treatment in-center.); Northwest Kidney Centers offers in-center patients a trial run of more frequent dialysis. (NKC again puts its patients' health needs and interests first.  If only the rest  of the industry would!)
• Kamal Shah's Blog Kamal waxes poetic over his favorite Indian breakfast treat, the sublime idli  (I've never tried one but I sure do want to now!); and muses about the difficulty of finding a good computer systems analyst.
• Kaply, Inc. has a small fever but hates being fussed over; and has a dialogue with a fathead who hopes swine flu will help him lose weight.(I think Jenny Craig would be a better idea.)
• Toastiest is having trouble finding a primary care doc, nobody is accepting new patients. (I have had that problem, too. I think it's everywhere.  Specialists make more money so there are fewer and fewer primary care physicians coming out of the med schools.)
• Stayin' alive is struggling with high phosphorus even though she has changed her diet drastically and the medication prescribed is way too expensive. (Some companies have assistance programs available if you can't afford their meds, maybe that company does.)
• Becky Perry gets an extension line that gives her more mobility when she does her PD treatment; and feels low energy and depressed -- maybe she needs more iron.
• The Adventures of Stacy Without An E Stacy's newly installed  fistula has a hematoma - he calls it his fistuloma - and is frustrated by arrogant, dismissive doctors.(I hate doctors like that,  They bring out my rage.)
•  Jack's Kidney Adventure Jack returns to work and readies the office and personnel for the presence of an immunosuppressed person.(Some good ideas here for transplant recipients returning to the working world.)
• Let us Consider One Another thanks for your prayers.
• On the Road to a Cure has announcements of upcoming Lupus walks events.
• Really, I'm as Old as I Feel? Had a wonderful weekend with her daughter visiting an aquarium. (I love the dolphins, too.  They add "porpoise" to life!)
• I Am. Are you? shares a poignant letter from a young kidney recipient.
• Transplant Alliance steps to preventing the flu.
• Dialysis Postings writes about the dialysis patient's need for love and emotional support.
• Dialyse This anticipates a long, annoying and painful lab appointment; and it is all that; has the swine flu along with a black and blue arm. She thinks one of the docs in her unit looks and acts like Hawkeye from "Mash".
• Bud's Ramblings He gets a gift of bound blog pages and is to see infectious disease doc; needs to get a PICC line and 10 days of IV antibiotics.
• Disability Prejudice And Civil Rights Watch has a link to an action report on the "Community Choice Act."
• Precious Bodily Fluids Ultrasound classification of renal cysts.
• Renal Fellow Network posts on How to do the water deprivation test - useful in the workup of patients with polyuria under certain situations; Lithium induced hyperparathyroidism; and combined kidney/bone marrow transplants (These can allow a transplant recipient to go without immunosupressive drugs.)
• Uremic Frost has a brief review of kidney stones; and a shocking story about a woman who faked kidney disease to get money. (Shame on her.)
• Renal tsar's blog writes about his visit to the Liverpool Hospital's dialysis unit and is pleased to ses a rise in AV fistula use and a fall in the MRSA rate, also they established a database of units worldwide that will take UK patients who are going abroad for holiday or business; reports on new quality initiatives with fun name acronyms, includes a link to a slide show, High Quality Care for All, that aims to ensure that quality is the organizing principle for kidney care
• Diario de diálisis Crónicas (en Español)  Journal dialysis - Chronicles (Google translated from Spanish) was invited to speak at a book fair; and is going to partner with a German psychologist who understands dialysis issues to add his perspective to the blog.
  
• Neophron's Senescence had a wonderful Bangkok vacation and shares some video footage.
•  pkdmom2five Happy Sweet Sixteen to a friend.
• Lemonade and Kidneys is moved to start a fundraising campaign for an unfortunate woman.(Make sure she's not faking like the woman mentioned in Uremic Frost's blog above.)
• Chronicals of the PD Warrior recommends a fellow blogger whose writing she enjoys and provides links.
• As The Pump Turns Kim hung out in Chicago with two great people she met through Blog Talk Radio ( Annie and Burl Live!) and also got to meet the cool  Doctor Anonymous (Blog Talk Radio luminary); and gives a public service anouncement about how to avoid the flu.
• My Chronic Kidney Disease finds his motivation to live: his six year old daughter tells him she wants him to live a long time. (One of the best reasons I've heard to hang in there.)
• Encompass Network Partners Diabetics shouldn't wear flipflops, not enough foot protection.
• Kidney Community Emergency Response has swine flu updates and tips for avoiding the flu; postponing their meeting in light of flu developments; important links and guides for developing an emergency plan in this flu situation.(KCER is the place to check for most relevant flu news for the renal community.)
  
• Renal BizBlog reports that a California dialysis unit has the first suspected patient with swine flu and suggests people check with KCER (see above site) for updates regarding the renal situation and the flu.
• Team Teddy Bear after a long absence has decided to try to write again (Welcome back!  We'll be checking in on you, so keep writing.)
• The Renal Unit current renal tweets, news, and blogs
• The Life of a 20-Something With Lupus Miz Flow encounters an emergency situation on the subway that brings up issues of crisis management, faith, swine flu, and reflections on how hard it must be for her parents when she has been in pain. (Wow, Flow, what a scary story!  It was nteresting to note all the different responses people had to a person in distress.)

Comments

[Miz Flow]

my blog got left out
:-(

[Miriam Lippel Blum]

Oh no, Miz Flow! I do apologize and shall correct that oversight promptly.

[Miz Flow]

:-)

[RuthWells]

Hi, "Lemonade-and-Kidneys" here. I think it's horrifying that people would prey on the goodwill of the internet community to raise money under false pretenses. That said, I'm a little offended by the caveat you posted next to my blog link. Anyone who knows me in life, or who has read my blog for any amount of time, knows that my intentions are good. And anyone who has read the blog of the woman I'm trying to help will know that her situation is for real. Thanks.

[Miriam Lippel Blum]

Dear Lemonade,
Please don't be offended. I was just concerned especially given the other post regarding fraud that came up on the same day I read yours. Many people read the blog report and I wanted both to highlight your caring actions but also to provide a word of caution, in case you or others hadn't thought of it. The woman you are helping is fortunate to have you on her team of support. You are doing a great thing. Bless you.

Miriam

[RuthWells]

Thanks for clarifying, Miriam -- I do understand your position. It's important in this vast, wide open internet that everyone play safe!

[N95 Respirator]

Wow, nice job compiling all that information.. no amount of searching can possibly make us too prepared.

[Miriam Lippel Blum]

Thanks, N95.

I highly recommend reading Bill's DSEN posts on "pandemic" to get some really practical ideas on how to prepare. http://www.billpeckham.com/from_the_sharp_end_of_the/pandemic/

Also the Kidney Community Emergency Response site has excellent information, as well.

http://kcercoalition.blogspot.com/