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Regaining Control After Kidney Failure
With a successful career and three
grandchildren, Elizabeth Docimo of
Brick values her independence and
her free time. "Being independent keeps you
optimistic," she says. But having faced kidney
disease for years, she was dreading the day
when she might need regular dialysis.
"My doctors have tried their hardest to
keep me off dialysis," she explains. "In March,
though, I had no choice." She started a routine
of visiting Ocean Medical Center three days a
week for hemodialysis.
"Hemodialysis replaces the work of one's
own kidneys by clearing wastes and extra fluid
from the blood," explains Dionisio V. Cruz,
M.D., who specializes in nephrology, the study
of the kidneys. "The blood is drawn and travels
to an artificial kidney, where it is cleaned and
then returned."
Knowing that Elizabeth was struggling with
balancing the time-consuming dialysis treatments
with her personal schedule, her nurse,
Karen, informed her of the hospital's home
hemodialysis program. Soon, both Elizabeth and
her husband were educated on how to properly
administer the home hemodialysis. The program
requires an in-home partner to successfully
administer the treatment. Luckily, Elizabeth has
that. Since May, she has been self-sufficient.
"Having hemodialysis at home works well
for patients like Elizabeth, because her husband
is very supportive in helping her with her
hemodialysis. It is important to have a dedicated
partner like she does to be successful in
administering the procedure," adds Dr. Cruz.
 – Laura Buffum
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