My mother is incontinent. Bed bound and on dialysis. She goes three times a week. No one is allowed back with her. She has severe bouts with diarrhea. So she has to sit in it during entire dialysis stay until she gets home and aide or myself or other helper changes her. Is this an unusual situation in dialysis? She would never sit in mess this long at home? Any advice? Home dialysis is not an option as none of us are comfortable with that.
This is the sad state of affairs, but there is also the fact that, when I first went into nursing, dialysis was never done on the elderly. In fact it was seldom done, and was applied for, believe it or not, and those who were young, who had children who were young, and etc. were the "chosen ones".
I myself, having been lifelong in the medical area as an RN, would not receive dialysis. At a certain age, it is something that prolongs the agony of age, the indignity, the weakening and the loss. It is a personal decision. I wish that doctors spoke more with the elderly about what dialysis means to their lives. The three days they spend a week in that chair. The exhaustion. The limitations in diet.
I am so sorry your Mom is going through this, and you are witnessing it. At some point, given the compromise of the skin for those on dialysis, there will be skin breakdown and there will be ulcers that don't heal. It seems cruel and a torment, but it is the way places are staffed now, part of the military industrial complex, all about the flow of money, and little about the personal indignities and endangerments we see. I hope that you write a letter and demand an answer to this, but I am sad to honestly think it will not make a difference. Again, I am so sorry for the pain and indignity for your Mom, and the suffering for you the family being witness to it.
I have a registered nurse who is dialysis trained. She sets everything up for me, leaves and comes back later to unhook me, clean equipment etc. In the interim I have a 4th year nursing student who stays with me for any personal help I need. My PCP checks up on me regularly during the week.
Home dialysis is encouraged in many other countries. Having the equipment at home allows you to have an unscheduled treatment if needed. Higher level of hygiene.
Just my choice. I’m sure others find other options good for themselves.
Dialysis is is very tiring and also very boring.