Insomnia

2024-09-10T15:38:27-04:00September 3rd, 2024|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Nutrition, Physical Health, Quality of Life, Staying Healthy|

Insomnia is often a constant complaint for a great deal of renal patients.  It can be especially annoying when one has to get up early the next day for whatever reason. Sleep is necessary and the deprivation of sleep can affect the body in many ways. DaVita Kidney Care has outlined why insomnia may occur and tips to help avoid insomnia. The following information can be found on DaVita's website (davita.com).  Sleep Issues and Chronic Kidney Disease People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Your physical and mental health can contribute to your sleep problems. These are some [...]

August is National Immunization Awareness

2024-08-07T15:15:06-04:00August 3rd, 2024|Categories: eNews, Immunizations, Physical Health, Quality of Life, Treatment|

Many experts recommend that dialysis and transplant patients get timely immunizations and vaccinations. These patients are at a higher risk of developing serious complications from infections because of their immune systems.  We suggest that patients speak to their respective medical providers with any questions or concerns that may arise about recommended vaccinations and immunizations. The following information can be found on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (www.cbp.gov) website, an official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). NIAM raises the awareness about why vaccines are important for people of all ages and [...]

Don’t Sweat It! – Tips for Renal Patients During Summer Heat

2024-07-10T15:38:16-04:00July 3rd, 2024|Categories: Dialysis, eNews, Kidney Transplant, Lifestyle, Physical Health, Quality of Life, Staying Healthy|

Summer is here and this time of year can be especially challenging for dialysis patients!  No matter how thirsty you are, you must still monitor your fluid intake. At the Dialysis Patient Citizens Education Center, we are continuously researching and sharing information that can improve the quality of life of renal patients. This article focuses on fluid intake and thirst tips and is provided by Fresenius Kidney Care (freseniuskidneycare.com) and DaVita (davita.com). The following information is provided by Fresenius Kidney Care. Dialysis works to remove excess fluid from your blood, so it’s important to manage your fluid intake. Fluids are typically [...]

How Transplant Changed My Life Forever

2024-04-26T15:38:46-04:00April 26th, 2024|Categories: Costs for Treatment, Dialysis, Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Mental Health, The Kidney Citizen|

Adrian Ropp, DPC Patient Ambassador It was Christmas and I was home to visit my parents for the holidays. It was the first time I had traveled there in a year without my dialysis equipment or a schedule to visit a clinic. A brave police officer named Albert had recently lost his life, but he had registered as an organ donor. Because of this, I was celebrating a Christmas I had not expected. It happened (and believe me, it is a story that would take this whole article) that my savior’s family - his wife Lori and their [...]

Merida Bourjolly: Taking Control of Her Care and Finding Meaning Through Advocacy

2024-04-26T15:34:31-04:00April 26th, 2024|Categories: Dialysis, Employment, Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Lifestyle, Physical Health, Quality of Life, Staying Healthy, Support, The Kidney Citizen|

Merida Bourjolly, President of DPC Education Center Board of Directors Merida Bourjolly had a kidney removed when she was just three weeks old, though it wouldn’t be until much later that her experience with dialysis would begin. By then, she already owned her own business and had both a teenage daughter and her mother to take care of at home, which meant starting dialysis came with big adjustments. She did her best to continue working five to six days a week like she had before, but found she was increasingly tired while styling her clients’ hair. Eventually, she [...]

For Gene Blankenship, Family is Everything

2024-04-26T15:34:00-04:00April 26th, 2024|Categories: Dialysis, Employment, Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Quality of Life, Support, The Kidney Citizen|

Eugene Blankenship, DPC Board of Directors Gene has had a front row seat to life with kidney disease for as long as he can remember. His entire family has been affected by kidney disease, and he was diagnosed himself in 2003. While it has come with challenges, Gene has continuously pushed forward, bolstered by the loving support of his family and those in the dialysis community he’s met along the way. After three years on dialysis, Gene was finally able to receive a kidney transplant this year. Persevering through dialysis treatments can take a toll, but Gene learned [...]

Knowledge to Empowerment

2024-04-26T15:33:39-04:00April 26th, 2024|Categories: Dialysis, Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Quality of Life, Support, The Kidney Citizen|

Nancy L. Scott, DPC Education Center Project Manager As I sat on the side of my hospital bed on a cold night in March of 2004, my heart was broken and it felt as though my time on the planet was almost over. I had just been diagnosed with END STAGE RENAL DISEASE. The word “end” means a final part of something, and I thought that something meant me. I had just retired and planned to enjoy life and travel as much as possible. These dreams had come to an end! (Little did I know at the time, [...]

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