When Carl, an Oakley, California resident, went to the hospital in June 1996 for a case of pneumonia, he definitely wasn't expecting his doctor to tell him he had kidney disease. To this day, it's still unclear what really caused his kidneys to fail, but Carl and his doctors suspect that a leg wound he suffered years ago, which led to blood poisoning, was the main culprit.
Carl was able to manage his kidney disease for four years with a controlled diet. But eventually his condition worsened to total kidney failure, and he had to start dialysis. He started going for in-center hemodialysis, which consisted of treatments lasting four to five hours, three times a week. In addition to being an intensely time-consuming process, in-center hemodialysis was very harsh on Carl's body and left him feeling totally wiped out. "I used to feel so beat up after dialysis that I would have to wait 20 to 30 minutes after my treatments before driving home," says Carl. "I just felt so weak."
Thankfully, the nurses at the center informed Carl about a new, portable hemodialysis system that allows patients to do treatment at home or when traveling. Carl was a little leery about doing his treatments on his own, but the health and quality of life benefits of daily home hemodialysis with the NxStage System One just sounded so good. He decided daily dialysis with NxStage was worth trying if it meant feeling better and being able to live a more normal life. With his wife by his side as his dialysis partner, Carl began the training program. After training, he was able to take his treatments home. "My wife and I have known each other since grammar school, so we've been through a lot together," says Carl. "I knew we'd be able to make it through this as well."
Carl noticed a major difference in how he was feeling right away doing daily, more frequent home hemodialysis with the NxStage system. His energy levels increased and he no longer felt exhausted after dialysis so he was able to help his wife around the house and do yard work. His appetite improved and he began sleeping better. Since he no longer had to conform to the center's schedule, Carl felt more in control of his dialysis treatments and had more time to do the things he wanted to, such as going out to eat with his wife or going fishing with his friends.
More than seven years later, Carl is still feeling well and enjoying the benefits of daily, more frequent home hemodialysis with the NxStage system. "After starting on daily, more frequent home dialysis with NxStage, I felt like a new person compared to when I was doing in-center hemo. I'm feeling better all the time!" Carl says. Carl was told by another patient at his dialysis center that he doesn't even look like a person on dialysis. Carl was thrilled to hear this and credits daily therapy with NxStage to his sustained good health.
Since daily, more frequent home hemodialysis with NxStage has made such a positive impact on his life, Carl is always letting other dialysis patients know about this therapy and encouraging them to try it for themselves.
