Dan needs a kidney

This blog is for Dan Krinsky, co-chef and co-owner of Tierra restaurant in Atlanta and my husband. Dan is 52 years old and was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease in 2003. We thought that he would be able to live without complications for at least 10 more years but his kidney function deteriorated much faster and his kidneys got to the point where he needed a transplant. After two and half years and 8 potential donors, we finally got a kidney. This is our story.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Getting ready for Peritoneal Dialysis

In order to get Peritoneal Dialysis Dan needs to have a catheter placed in his peritoneum. He has been scheduled for that surgery on Tuesday, May 27th in the morning. Eight days later, on June 5th, he has to go to the dialysis clinic so that the Peritoneal Nurse (PD nurse) can run liquid through the catheter to make sure it is working correctly and a few days later he can start dialysis.

The process of learning to give oneself PD is intense. He will have to go to the clinic for about 6-7 days for 4 hours a day so that the PD nurse can teach him how to do it. He can then handle the exchanges himself, at home or at work. He will have to do 4 exchanges a day for a month and after that his prize is a little machine that handles the process for him while he sleeps at night....I am sure that will be a great day!