Question about dialysis

[Granbonny]

One of our best friends, neighbor, is going thru dialysis..... He was one of our most active men in the community that we live in..and was voted on the Board of Directors for our Association just a few months back...then he started having health problems. Was in the hospital for several weeks. taking dialysis while he was in hospital..Then, they found he had a type of cancer... that Chemo can help... The past few weeks, he was going Mon. Wed. and Fridays for dialysis,.....but, this past thursday was admitted again for weakness, ect. and was told he would never come off dialysis..and would take a few years after chemo to have a Kidney transplant. We viisited him many times the first time he was in hospital..but, hated to go over during the week when he was home. Wife has to leave at 9 a.m. and get home around 3 P.M.(from his dialysis)..Weekends, we thought best not to visit....This is a couple that planned and attended many Social things in our community. What would cause a healthy man his age (my age) for his kidneys to go so bad? Hubby feels so badly..they spent many hours talking and doing Man things. I'm sure they are wondering about things...like why do not the neighbors come, call , ect...what should we do? I do e-mail the wife...but, she only sends out e-mails once every few weeks, to everyone.telling of his updates. We feel so badly...They pass our house everyday ..and we can see their house from our bedroom window.....Feel so badly..Any suggestions? Bonnie

 

[Phyllis]

Dick's Uncle goes for dialysis three times a week and also had bypass surgery and a pacemaker put in last year. He is very tired after dialysis, but remains active on the days in between treatments- even taking an exercise class and playing golf. He enjoys company and going to dinner on the days he is not in dialysis. Naturally, everyone's situation is different, but you might try calling his wife and seeing if he is up to company on the days between treatments.

 

[hensylee]

Bon - friends visit. Go, take a dish, stay a few minutes, leave. Let him know you are supporting.

 

[Granbonny]

Phyllis and Ann

Phyllis and Ann

Thank you..but I think he has started the chemo for his type of cancer..also..Must be wearing him down.. Chemo and dialysis.. ...Ann, yes, we have taken a few dishes down..John said, he was in recliner,,.but, only stayed a few minutes.....I'm still wondering..How does ones kidneys go so badly?At his age and healthy Bonnie

 

[bvdr]

Bonnie, Ann is right. Go visit. Call first and tell her you want to bring a dish and ask what kind of foods would be good for her husband. There are many diet restrictions for dialysis patients.

There can be a lot of different reasons his kidneys failed. Sometimes it is a result of diabetes, hypertension, or a result of many other things. They are going through a lot right now. The Chemo may also be keeping him pretty low.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

 

[Nancy]

Sorry to hear about your friend. Having gone through chemo, I'd say that during the course of the treatments, he's not going to be feeling well at all, and depending on what type of chemo he has, he might not look well either, bald, swollen from the other medications that are used during treatments, bad color, etc. Also some chemos cause low bloodcounts including low white cell counts which almost eliminate any immunity you have against various "bugs". For a few days during most of my treatments, I was told to stay at home and had to take heavy duty antibiotics as a preventive measure, and had to stay away from people. There are good days as well during treatment, and the white cell issue usually resolves after a few days.

So, if you are planning to visit, I'd say call and make sure that things are safe for him, and he feels up to it.

All of this, of course, resolves once the chemo is finished.

Don't know much about dialysis.

One things that might be fun, and we used to do it in years past, is to make up a sunshine basket, including small wrapped gifts and fun things for him to do, maybe even include something for his wife, since it must be very hard on her. Some food items, during chemo, don't taste good at all so I wouldn't bother making a lot of fancy stuff, unless it's for his wife. He might also be on a restricted diet due to dialysis. Many people find that simple things like flavored bottles waters are soothing during chemo.