Sometimes, He’s Not Good
Our dialysis story — chapter 43
Kidney dialysis keeps Ben alive. Any side effects of the blood-cleansing process are less severe than not having dialysis, but they’re still troublesome and concerning.
Ben has dialysis twice a week — the norm is three. He goes to the center on Mondays and Fridays. I leave him there, return four hours later, and wait 20 to 45 minutes for his release. Delays are typically caused by bleeding issues at his access points. Prolonged bleeding signals a possible blockage. Ben’s had angioplasty three times to remove such blockages.
When he exits the treatment area, he’s almost childlike. He smiles broadly, happy to see me, or complains bitterly about his nurse for that day. I never know if he will be happy and relieved or annoyed and grumbling. I do know he will have increased confusion.
Ben has memory and comprehension issues resulting from a fall and a brain bleed in 2022 and from toxins in his blood before he started dialysis in 2023. Once on dialysis, his memory issues improved but didn’t disappear.
Ben’s daily confusion is manageable as long as he has a helper. He couldn’t live alone. I remind him of his daily activities, the food he will eat and any that he needs to prepare himself, what medications he must take and when, and any personal or…
