By Miriam Lippel Blum
There are 20 days left to make your comments to CMS regarding the proposed payment rules. Make your voice heard! It matters.
Here are the CKD related blogs updated since my last report on 11/24. 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 Bill reports that Northwest Kidney Center's CEO Joyce Jackson was presented with the 2009 Warren Featherstone Reid Award for Excellence in Healthcare by the State of Washington.
- Kamal Shah's Blog Kamal reflects on completing his first year working at Grene; he finds it frustrating when people sign e-mails with just a first name, especially when they have a common name and he doesn't know which of the several people he knows by that name sent it. (I find that frustrating, too, but sometimes you can tell from the e-mail address.)
- Kaply, Inc. Tracy is busy healing from surgeries and getting ready for her trip to Maine; describes making Chex-mix (I love Chex-mix, yum!); posts a comic about Thanksgiving.
- Toastiest Toastie is having a contest to identify the name of a piece of music, $5 gift card for the winner; has a Thanksgiving weekend plumbing disaster. (Stuff like that always happens on holidays!)
- The Life of a 20-Something With Lupus Flo describes frustration with the long waiting line at the eye doctor.
- Jack's Kidney Adventure Jack agrees with a research article he read on NephrOnline regarding the quality of life of transplant recipients over time.
- Transplant, Tantrums, & Tiaras Holly is excited about going to London for the awards show where she will be acknowledged.
- I Am. Are you? Anne Gulatta, whose husband, Jay, was an organ donor describes what "Thanks" means to her on Thanksgiving.
- The Ins and Outs of Dialysis Gayle is grateful to have John in her life and shares a happy photo of them with their grandchildren.
- Linda Gromko MD kidneycare Linda is proud of Steve who is now doing serious aerobic and strength training workouts at the gym after having had a heart attack during his kidney transplant surgery and subsequently losing the kidney (What a heartache that must have been. We wish you success with your workouts, Steve, and that the next transplant will be a success.); shares the letter she wrote to CMS about the Medicare Bundling Plan and reminds us of the December 16 deadline for getting comments in.
- Precious Bodily Fluids shares some questions to get people to initiate conversations about about their end of life wishes.
- Renal Fellow Network comments on research that indicated allograft nephrectomy to be independently associated with improved survival in people when they return to dialysis; was thankful not to be on call so he could enjoy Thanksgiving with family and posts a new poll about treatment for interstitial nephritis.
- Uremic Frost Another study shows the danger of salt intake, this one showed that higher salt intake was strongly associated with a higher incidence of stroke and cardiovascular disease; reports that using a calculation of the fractional excretion of uric acid (FEUA) may be more useful in the diagnosis of Acute Kidney Injury caused by decreased kidney perfusion.
- Renal tsar's blog responds to a query about establishing new kidney units.
- Rob and Danielle's Kidney Blog Danielle and Rob describe a pleasant Thanksgiving Day and share photos.
- The inner game of PKD Richie describes emotional stages he went through as he grappled with his PKD diagnosis.
- Nathan's PKD Nathan recovered from his 9-day illness, wonders if infant immunizations have any impact on immunosuppressed people - they are expecting a baby soon. (A good question to ask your nephrologist. Perhaps, live virus mist-type vaccines might be a problem.)
- Jenna Franks Jenna joins her family's Thanksgiving via Skype. (The next best thing to being there.)
- Biologically Safe Water Filters AAMI is adopting tighter standards on bacteria limits. Ultrafilters from Nephros are safe and easy to install on RO units at home and in acute units and can protect patients from bacteria exposure.
- Kidney Diet Tips Kidney-friendlys suggestions for your Thanksgiving meal.
Comments