Back from Dialysis training

We are back from 4 days of intensive Peritoneal Dialysis training. The advantage with Peritoneal Home Dialysis is that it is done in your own home. Sandra needs 4 exchanges per day. Her abdominal cavity is filled, through a catheter in her abdomen, with 2 liters (4 quarts) of a special liquid solution, that has to sit, and dwell in her belly for 4 hours, after that it will be drained, and immediately replaced with another 2 liters. She will always have 2 liters of liquid in her abdominal cavity. Every exchange requires that meticulous instructions are being followed. Everyone in the room has to wear a mask, and Sandra has to check her blood pressure every time. She has to adjust the strength of the solution according to her bp readings, and her "dry weight". The risk for peritonitis is very high, so an extreme hand washing regiment is required. We are quick learners, so we finished the training 1 day early. The picture was taken on Sandra's first day of training. A Kidney Patients Organization is updating their brochures, and asked if Sandra would like to be the poster child for Peritoneal Home dialysis, as they are trying to get as many people as possible on it. Although posing for a picture was the last thing on her mind, she felt that if it would help someone else she would do it. Sandra is a real trooper, and I am so proud of her.