You might be wondering why posts with earlier dates keep popping up in this blog? Well, it’s because I’m used to writing darfts and just saves them rather than publishing them immediately. I guess it became a matter of habit for me, my impulsiiveness to write something whenever an idea pops in my head. I still have a draft or two in my repertoire that I promised myself to publish later on. Anyways, it’s Lent [...]

How is dialysis done? Dialysis is done by using a special fluid called dialysate. Dialysate, a mixture of pure water and chemicals, is carefully controlled to pull wastes out of your blood without removing substances your body needs. A semipermeable membrane keeps the blood apart from the dialysate. This membrane lets the wastes and fluid in your blood flow through into the dialysate. Your blood cells and larger molecules, like protein that you need, cannot [...]

In every dialysis session, a patient’s blood is cleaned through a dialysis machine. The process is quite simple: the machine is hooked through bloodlines in the arm, blood is pumped through the machine, cleaned, and then returned to the patient. This is a continous process in which only 300 millileters  of blood per minute is cycled throughout the 4-hour session. You might be windering how the bloodlines are hooked on the patient? Well, first and [...]

I went to the clinic yesterday for another dialysis treatment session. Travel from the house to the facility was a bit of a hassle due to a sudden drizzle. Can you imagine that? Rain in the middle of summer and at noontime. Well, that’s Philippine climate for you, unpredictable as they can be. I forgot to bring an umbrella simply because I found unnecessary to do so. After all, it’s April and like I said [...]

Yesterday was my Dialysis schedule. Everything went well for me, in a ‘kidney failure patient’ sense of ‘well’, in any case. For us, patients that is, going to dialysis sessions has become somewhat of a routine. Even the pain, the Hypotensive experiences and bouts of cramps, has been part of my life ever since the first time I started my dialysis treatment. Chronic coping on a chronic illness, I always tell myself… This is what [...]

What will happen if I refuse pre-ESRD care? Refusing pre-ESRD care may result in accelleration of kidney damage and earlier development of or worsening of complications of CKD, such as anemia, loss of appetite and fatigue. In short, progression to ESRD or early death may become inevitable. Cardiovascular complications such as heart enlargement and heart failure may also set in earlier. Hence, refusal may result in more frequent hospitalizations, bigger expenses, emotional trauma, and poor [...]

What are the signs and symptoms of CKD? Knowing the symptoms of kidney disease can help people detect it early enough to get treatment. Signs and symptoms of CKD include: Changes in urination – making more or less urine than usual, feeling pressure when urinating, changes in the color of urine, foamy or bubbly urine, or having to get up often at night to urinate. Swelling of the feet, ankles, hands, or face – fluid [...]

I have been meaning to share some FAQ’s on kidney failure these past few days. Though I wasn’t able to get the chance because of my dialysis schedule. But finally, I am posting this now to promote awareness on kidney failure. My heartfelt thanks to the Philippine Society of Nephrology, where I got this information, and to Dr. Bien Manlutac, the author of this FAQ’s and had been our nephrologist at Philippine Kidney Dialysis Foundation… [...]