Journals

Lenten Contemplations

April 9, 2009

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 [...]

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FAQ’s Part IV

April 6, 2009

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 [...]

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AV Fistula – The Dialysis Lifeline

April 2, 2009

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 [...]

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In Session

March 30, 2009

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 [...]

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Chronic Illness… Chronic Coping

March 29, 2009

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 [...]

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FAQ’s Part III

March 28, 2009

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 [...]

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Summer is Here

March 24, 2009

It’s summertime once again and the time for outings, picnics, and beaches is at hand. If you would tune in to the weather report each day, temperatures averages at around 35 degrees Celsius. Good for people who badly needs sunshine, or a tan maybe. But BAD for us suffering from kidney failure. Why?… It is [...]

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Greatest Surprise

March 23, 2009

It was May 23, 2003 when I was first diagnosed with kidney failure. I was hospitalized for a simple nosebleed and one thing led to another until my doctor told me the bad news. It’s not that bad actually, for I learned early in life to accept the unexpected things that come on my way. [...]

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Kidney Failure at a Glance

March 22, 2009

What is chronic kidney disease?What is kidney failure? Kidney failure is a condition where the kidneys stop working normally. There are two kinds of kidney failure: acute renal failure (ARF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). In both conditions, the kidneys fail to efficiently remove wastes and extra fluid from the body. Imbalances in the amounts [...]

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