Dialysis from the sharp end of the needle

Dialysis & CKD Blog Report 5/28

By Miriam Lippel Blum

 Here are the CKD related blogs updated since my update on 5/25.   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 has a blog report.
• Kamal Shah's Blog writes about the frustration that comes with the up and down side effects of CKD; he likes to send and receive birthday wishes.(His is September 28); he also prefers a cup of black coffee to one over-sweetened.
• Kaply, Inc. Tracy lists foods she won't eat and foods she is picky about. (I wouldn't eat chicken feet either!)
•  Toastiest likes his new car but feels it's a little indulgent and feels guilty about that. (Life's short, might as well enjoy what you got.); Toastie lip-syncs a song by Journey while snuggling with his dog. (And 3000 people watched it...including me.)
• The Life of a 20-Something With Lupus is saddened by estrangement from people she thought of as close friends.
• PKD Notes explains why Glomerular Filtration Rates (GFR) may be inaccurate and gives links to articles for further research.
• The Adventures of Stacy Without An E Stacy has terrible nausea on Mondays and fights the terrible dialysis monster at the clinic.
• CHRONIC POSITIVITY - Life with Polycystic Kidney Disease His sister is still not drinking enough post-transplant and had to have another NG tube to force fluids into her.
• Jack's Kidney Adventure Jack is doing well post-transplant, working up to a full work day, but misses gardening (too many infection causing microbes and stuff in soil) and being in the sun; his nurse calls to say his labs are perfect (Yay, Jack!) and he expresses appreciation that she communicates good news, not just bad. (Expressing appreciation for caregivers and professionals for a job well done is always a good thing to do.)
• PKD & Dialysis ... Where I Tell It Like It Is  waits for ultrasound results, arm seems a little better.
• On the Road to a Cure announces a Walk for Lupus event in Connecticut, May 31; and a photo exhibit in Philadelphia commemorating Lupus Awareness Month in memory of the photographer's sister who passed away from complications of lupus; reports on a study that showed Raptiva could be effective in treating severe discoid lupus.
• Really, I'm as Old as I Feel? Cute baby, Abby, is almost two, loves cookies, but is restless at meals.
• I Am. Are you? A moving transplant story from a young mother with lupus.
• Transplant Alliance MJ has hip pain and an appointment to see a doctor about it.
• Dialysis Postings has information on lab tests and blood levels for dialyzors.
• Bud's Ramblings Bud had a nice weekend and shares an inspirational message from a friend.
• KIDNEYBLOG A new blog, by a DaVita Medical Director, discusses issues, news, and science relating to CKD.  Current posts are: Introducing CKD to Primary Physicians; What Happens When Doctors Rely on Invalid Data? (A very interesting and cautionary tale for both doctors and patients about PTH lab results); and DaVita Joins EPA Power Partnership.
• Precious Bodily Fluids is impressed with Dr. Richard Johnson's lecture on uric acid; presents a debate as to whether UpToDate is evidence based medicine or not, he votes not;  reports and links to a cool site on eGFR and Proteinuria; two study reports, one showing a positive effect of dipyrimadole and aspirin on dialysis graft patency, and the other showing that thiazolidinedione (Now there's a mouthful!) use is associated with better survival in non-insulin dependent diabetics; and last, presents the ideas in the first chapter of The Sugar Fix by Richard Johnson, MD.
• Renal Fellow Network explains potassium sparing diuretics; and presents his zebrafish model of PKD.
• Uremic Frost The FDA approves tolvaptan tablets for use in hyponatremia (low sodium level) associated with heart failure, cirrhosis, and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion; a link to a new podcast by the American Kidney Fund about compassion fatigue.
• Renal tsar's blog writes about exercise training in CKD; program budgeting in kidney care.
• Pinoy Dialysis A dialysis blog, new to our list, from the Philippines.  The last five posts cover these complications of CKD: secondary hyperparathyroidism, pericarditis, amyloidosis, neuropathy, and sleeping and bleeding problems.
• Free range fish sticks Sheila is back home from the hospital. Don rejoices.
• Neophron's Senescence has an e-card for Kaci, and compares the young Obama's stand on health care with President Obama's position; and happy photos from a trip to Portland. 
• pkdmom2five has been diagnosed with colitis and started on a steroid; one son finishes drivers' ed and another is going to the doctor by himself for the first time.
• Lemonade and Kidneys is stressed and exhausted but a Wednesday Spaghetti night with friends cheers her up.
• Work In Progress finds inspiration looking at her young son and thanks God.
• PKD World Jezebelle struggles with high blood pressure and medication changes.
• I need a kidney Jason notes that renal issues have been in the media lately and s moved by a short segment of an NPR interview with Anna Deavere Smith who talks about one woman's struggle with dialysis.
• DailyHemo - Home Dialysis Advocates New Videos: Medicare changes could cut care for Black CKD5 patients; Father and Son in Peru make low cost dialysis available; ER: Carter on Dialysis; Harvey Wells crosses the nation in dialysis marathon; Instructions for SureSeal Pressure Bandages; WallStrip: Davita (A tongue in cheek analysis of why DaVita stock is doing well.); Home Dialysis Provides a Bit More Freedom; Dialysis Tech Describes Dialysis Machine; Children on Dialysis Maintain Hope; Wellbound Talks About Home Dialysis; DaVita Investors Spy Healthy Returns; Dialysis Patient Breaks Bricks for Kidney Awareness; Overnight Dialysis Can Save Your Life; Wallace Lane says "I got my life back!";  a news story on how California budget cuts may affect dialysis; William Doherty Shares Freedom with You; When Love Matters, Nothing Else Matters; and How Much PD Supplies per Month?
• Kidney Community Emergency Response June 1 begins hurricane season and check out the Welcome to Disasterville newsletter.
• NephrOnline Blogs A report on Shad Ireland's "What Inspires You? ride and his visit to a Native American  reservation; a Supreme Court nominee who has Type 1 Diabetes.
• Renal BizBlog has a review of a book about the true story of an American who goes to China to help his cousin get a kidney transplant. (Sounds fascinating!)
• The Renal Unit Current renal twitters, news, and blogs.

Dialysis & CKD Blog Report 5/25

By Miriam Lippel Blum

Happy Memorial Day!  We salute all those who have fought for us.  Here are the CKD related blogs updated since my update on 5/22.   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 changes in Medicare rules spell bad news for daily home HD dialyzors.(I think the changes are terrible.)
• Kamal Shah's Blog Kamal writes about the problems kidney disease can cause in a marriage.
• Kaply, Inc. Tracy has a busy weekend, enjoyed friends, the outdoors, and won a T-shirt.
• Drinking my way through Trader Joe's Wine celebrates Memorial Day with gardening, making home-made ginger beer, enjoying a nice Spanish wine with a lunch menu that includes roasted wings in honey BBQ sauce; she has a great NY night with a play, a fine dinner, good wine, and chocolate mousse cake. She adds a little ice tea to her ginger beer to cut the bite and has a delicious picnic menu planned. (We're all coming over for lunch with you...and Happy Birthday, Anna!)
• Toastiest has a lovely song posted "Where Do You Start?" by Alan Bergman.
• Birdman has a clotted fistula. (Sorry to hear that. We hope the surgeon can clear it out.)
• Nitey Nite- a nocturnal dialysis blog Michelle is into reading vampire novels while on nocturnal dialysis and wants a sexy vampire who will suck toxins out of her with one bite while making love. (I don't think the FDA would approve without many clinical trials.) Staff problems continue and her fistula can't handle buttonholes.
• PKD & Dialysis ... Where I Tell It Like It Is has swelling in an arm and ankle, needs an ultrasound  and is worried.
• Really, I'm as Old as I Feel? likes Skype but feels it's ruining TV interview shows.
• Dialysis Postings explains anemia in CKD.
• Chronic Chick Talk salutes all the veterans, wishes everyone a Happy Memorial Day and posts music video "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips.
• Bud's Ramblings Bud and his wife celebrate their 45th anniversary by planting a beautiful garden together. (Congratulations! May you have many more years and gardens together.)
•  Renal Fellow Network Betel nut chewing can also cause hypercalcemia, metabolic alkalosis, and acute renal failure similar to Milk-Alkali syndrome (I didn't know what betel nut chewing was either, go Google it, or check out this blog.); Is a Minnesota Vikings fan and explains how pro football players mask steroid use by taking diuretics;  a video of a daredevil motorcyclist who has a kidney "explode" on impact during a stunt; the importance of residual renal function.
• Uremic Frost announces a Kidney Walk to be held on 5/31 at Hofstra University at 9:30 am; a study showing the concomitant use of gradient ultrafiltration and sodium dialysate helps patients with intradialytic hypotension; a study shows that CKD may progress more slowly in women; another study showing that obesity is a strong risk factor for decline in kidney function after initiation of dialysis therapy.
• Free range fish sticks Sheila is still in the hospital, no diagnosis for the severe headaches despite many tests, Don would do anything to take her pain away. (Our hearts go out to you and you are in our prayers.)
• Jenna Franks posts recommendations about how to find a living donor.
• The Ballad of Billy The Kidney posts a fun public service announcement from Australia for Kidney Health Week, and a Natalie Cole music video in honor of her transplant this week, also reports that Natalie's sister just died. (Our hearts go out to Natalie at this loss.)
• As The Pump Turns writes about the first person to die under Washington State's Death with Dignity Act.
• DailyHemo - Home Dialysis Advocates New videos: Josh Rieke's Apartment of Science explains how a dialyzer works (Very funny video - Bill Nye the Science Guy has competition now.); a news story  on home hemo using the NxStage System One;  an NKF public service announcement about CKD risk factors; and a video on the histoof the AV fistula.
• The Renal UnitCurrent renal tweets, news, and blogs