Rsn newsletter fall/winter 06

Discussions for Patients, Family, and Friends HD For Patients
1

Hi Folks
Just sitting looking at the the opening remarks from Lori Hartwell, and I’ve seen the same comments here about how important it is for each person to take care of themselves.
Quote from Ms. Hartwell " In today’s high-tech healthcare society. I am amazed at how little people know about their bodies and what makes them tick. " end quote.
I saw where some people think that you need to know everything about your dialysis machine.
Let me ask How many of you have a car and can tear it down and fix what ever problem comes up? Same for the computers? The same thinking can go into everything we use in our daily life.

My point is: How many of us would know as much or as little about dialysis if our lives had not been affected by the problem? Or for those that work in the dialysis world do you know all there is to know about about the other health conditions that the human race can have?

It nice to know as much as one can, but in real life , real people only deal with the story that they face in there day to day lives. Yes some people get into understanding everything under the sun. But for most just dealing with what in on the plate in front of them is hard. I spend my life with a health condition but only know some much. But I lived my life to up most. I knew that dialysis was there, but just took for grantee that dialysis would done or a person would be treated with respect. Why because the medical people that worked with me knew and they wanted me to live my life as if I had no problem. They wanted me to do what ever I wanted too, and you can bet on it, I got into very A…hole things over my early years. But into doing what I did I proved to them and my self that under the right conditions a person can live a rich full life. I’m 50 and if I were to die today ( hope not) but I have peace of mind that I did the best I could with what was handed to me.

Thanks LSB for being so open and honest. And thanks to this page and people on it. This last year has be an you know what. But my thanks go to all on this board.
bobeleanor

2

Bob,

Your post reminded me of a post to my blog Tasty Kidneypie (http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-ZOinGoMlc6Ob0cYOq_REylepo7tocLwF6N_bBg6HWyEn0A–?cq=1&p=17) earlier this year entitled “Just Another Day in the Park.”

[B]It is great to know the intricacies of my machine but I don’t plan on
inventing the next generation machine - I’m too busy living the life I
choose. I expect Nx Stage to do that or their business will fail. I
also expect that Nx Stage employees go to work everyday and try to
develop technologies and procedures to keep dialysis patients alive and
thriving, if not then they would probably be selling used cars or doing
some other job.

I view my “Stage” as one complex toilet. Before ESRD I had to pee
throughout the day. I didn’t worry about the toilet unless the waste
didn’t flush. If I couldn’t fix it I’d call a plumber. I didn’t
concern myself about the toilet all day, I lived life and used it when
nature called. Sure I got frustrated sometimes when having to go
interupted the big game, but when you gotta go. . .

I see my “Stage” as the same thing. Gotta use it everday, don’t always
want to, but I do. If and when it breaks I’ll call my technician.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for my “Stage,” but it is just
another appliance that makes my life easier, er well possible.

I hope others are having similar experiences.
[/B]