Since I started in center hemodialysis I have been asked multiple times if I wanted to do home hemodialysis. Shortly after having my peritoneal dialysis catheter removed, one of the nurses came up to me and said "so you will be doing home hemo then right?". My response was "Uh, no".
Heres the thing with home hemo. You dialysize more often (5-7 days a week insteads of just 3 in center) and for shorter of periods of time. The result of this is less drastic physical 'ups and downs' in between dialysis treatments.
My reason for not wanting to do it? Number one, kids. With my kids at home with me at all times I'm just not comfortable with the idea of having needles and sterile equipment around them. Two, space. We absolutely do not have the space to store the needed equipment, nor to set up an area in the home for me to do it. Three, time restraints. I don't have time to dialyze every day. It may be for shorter periods, 2 hours a time insteads of 4 hours. But you have to set up and clean up before and after every dialysis session. To me that equals a lot of time.
Today in the dialysis center a man came in to say hi to the Techs. One of the Techs asked him "how are you liking home hemo". He responded by saying "Its fine, but its a lot of work. A LOT of work."
That was enough for me to hear. I don't have time for a lot of work. My life is a lot of work already! I will be sticking with in center hemo dialysis for the time being!
