Going back, even briefly, to the dialysis center is such a pain! And I haven't even got my sessions yet!
I am leaving for Chicago in 2 days. I am going to be there for about 10 days. During this period I would need 4 dialysis sessions. Booking these sessions has been nothing short of torturous!
To begin with, I did one company like last time. What I really cannot understand is if it is one company why do I have different sets of paperwork for every center? Every center has its own protocols, its own set of requirements, its own set of rules! When Bill Peckham had recommended that I go with one company, the reason was that I would need to send only one set of paperwork. But no, that doesn't seem to be true!
The process for booking has been quite frustrating. To start with, circumstances were more difficult this time round. The whole trip got finalized just a few days back which gave me very little time to plan unlike last time where I had months to plan my entire trip. (Well, not sure if that helped in the end because I did have some last minute trouble with dialysis scheduling even last time!)
So, this is how I went about it: I drew up my date-wise plan and then figured when I would need dialysis to ensure that I did not get more than a two-day gap and tried to restrict the two-day gaps to one. Then I called the company's service to schedule dialysis treatments and gave them all the information. Even though the information was the same, they had to take it thrice - once for each center I was going to dialyze in!
Then they sent me a long list of paperwork they would need - different for each center. I got all that together and then sent that off. In a couple of days I was told that I had been accepted at the facilities! Yay! End of worries? Well, no! Not at all!
I had to however, book my flights within the US. So, I assumed that I would get the slots I had requested and booked my flights. Two of these flights were on dialysis days! Not a good idea!
Finally, after a couple of days, I was given approximate time slots for my dialysis sessions. Guess what? Two dialysis sessions were such that I would miss my flights if I did my dialysis!
So, now started the pleading - for them to look for another center that would accommodate me at the time that I had requested. Finally, in Denver I was able to get the slot I wanted but Chicago is still going to be very close. If traffic on the way to the airport decides to spoil my plans, I am going to be royally screwed! I have a couple of backup plans I am working on. Let's see how things pan out!
But seriously, there is nothing to beat home dialysis! Dialyze as you wish, when you wish and where you wish (provided you have access to a portable machine, which I do not!). All you guys who have a portable machine - you are freakin' lucky!
To begin with, I did one company like last time. What I really cannot understand is if it is one company why do I have different sets of paperwork for every center? Every center has its own protocols, its own set of requirements, its own set of rules! When Bill Peckham had recommended that I go with one company, the reason was that I would need to send only one set of paperwork. But no, that doesn't seem to be true!
The process for booking has been quite frustrating. To start with, circumstances were more difficult this time round. The whole trip got finalized just a few days back which gave me very little time to plan unlike last time where I had months to plan my entire trip. (Well, not sure if that helped in the end because I did have some last minute trouble with dialysis scheduling even last time!)
So, this is how I went about it: I drew up my date-wise plan and then figured when I would need dialysis to ensure that I did not get more than a two-day gap and tried to restrict the two-day gaps to one. Then I called the company's service to schedule dialysis treatments and gave them all the information. Even though the information was the same, they had to take it thrice - once for each center I was going to dialyze in!
Then they sent me a long list of paperwork they would need - different for each center. I got all that together and then sent that off. In a couple of days I was told that I had been accepted at the facilities! Yay! End of worries? Well, no! Not at all!
I had to however, book my flights within the US. So, I assumed that I would get the slots I had requested and booked my flights. Two of these flights were on dialysis days! Not a good idea!
Finally, after a couple of days, I was given approximate time slots for my dialysis sessions. Guess what? Two dialysis sessions were such that I would miss my flights if I did my dialysis!
So, now started the pleading - for them to look for another center that would accommodate me at the time that I had requested. Finally, in Denver I was able to get the slot I wanted but Chicago is still going to be very close. If traffic on the way to the airport decides to spoil my plans, I am going to be royally screwed! I have a couple of backup plans I am working on. Let's see how things pan out!
But seriously, there is nothing to beat home dialysis! Dialyze as you wish, when you wish and where you wish (provided you have access to a portable machine, which I do not!). All you guys who have a portable machine - you are freakin' lucky!
Comments
Also Baxter Company does such things, the contact details are below
Renal Home Care
Baxter India provides Renal Home Care (RHC), an integrated Patient Care System that brings together highly trained counselors, clinical and technical services team to provide seamless patient care to renal patients. It facilitates better and more frequent contact for patients on Peritoneal Dialysis (PD), provides easy accessibility to renal dietician support, and addresses product delivery and distribution enquiries.
Contact details:
Counselors can be reached at
1800 102 1110 (toll free number)
0124 4603200 (chargeable)
I am looking for one in Delhi as my father wants to go to go there for Dushera. I will call and check with the Baxter RHC folks - thanks for the lead. I wonder why wouldnt the Baxter guys in Bangalore provide me this lead. Thanks a lot!!