Dialysis on Cruises

[RevNeal]

My Father has suffered kidney failure due to many years of high blood pressure and harsh medications. They installed an emergency wide bore catheter into him yesterday and, today, he received his first dialysis treatment. On Monday they will do surgery to prepare a fistula in his right arm so that, in about 8 weeks, they can take out his dialysis catheter and they can dialyze him through the fistula in his arm.

This has been very difficult on my family and on my Mom and Dad especially. Mother was kinda upset about the fact that this will limit my Dad's ability to travel. I remembered reading about Dialysis as being an option on some cruises, so I did some research.

http://www.Dialysisatsea.com provides dialysis on MANY Holland America Line Cruises. I was so happy to find this information. It means that my parents will be able to continue cruising. :)

If anyone has personal experience with dialysisatsea, please post here or e-mail me with your experiences and suggestions.

Thank you!

[Time2sail]

I hope and pray that he recovers rapidly from his surgery and that he is able to sail with you soon. Our best to him.

[stanford's girl]

RevNeal,
You and your family will be my prayers. I wish your father a speedy recovery from his surgery. I am glad that they will still be able to enjoy cruising on many of Hal's ships. Some blessings are very small, others are bigger.:)

[jhannah]

Your dad will be in our prayers as well. I know a number of dialysis patients and it's just amazing how well they are doing.

[cruzbums]

My wife is on kidney dialysis. She is on peritoneal dialysis rather than being on the machine. You might ask your renal center about this type of dialysis as it is really much more convenient. My wife does her exchanges at home rather than at the clinic.

Last year we went to Alaska on the Oosterdam and it worked really well. The company that supplies the dialysis materials delivers them to the ship so we can go on just about any cruise ship.

I would suggest that you talk the Doctor about this type of dailysis.

[starysacz]

I have contacted the Medical Services Dept. at HAL for a different medical condition and received a response within 24 hours. Phone: 800-547-8493 or email - halw access@hollandamerice.com . Access and Compliance Dept. They were very helpful and encouraged me to maintain contact with that department.

Will be praying.

[Emmie]

Reverend Neal:

Whatever happens, I amy praying for you and your family. You are such a good son, trying to help your family out in this manner! I admire your parents very much, this is not an easy thing to deal with, yet they are looking forward. How wonderful and brave they are!

Take care,
Emmie

[cruznon]

Your family is in my prayers.

It's good to know such medical teatments can be done on board HAL ships.

[Ziggy7]

aaaaawwwwww RevNeal, I'm so sorry to hear about your father, my family will be keeping you and your family in our prayers. I think its wonderful that the research you did came up posivite for your father but also for others as well!
Blessing to your family!

[ekerr19]

Rev Neal -

I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. I hope all works out for your parents and they will continue to be able to travel.

Please keep us updated, if you don't mind - our thoughts and prayers will be with all of you.

[Vic The Parrot]

Hi Greg

Sorry what happened to your dad.
After talking with you, I know it'll turn out for the better.

My thoughts and prayers will be with you, and wish for the best.
Keep the faith my bro... we're always here.

[Himself]

Greg: In 1998 I was Chaplain on the old Westerdam during a relocation cruise from FLL to Van and I was at table on the last days of the cruise with some nurses who were brought on to give D to a couple of pax every day.

John

[mikefang]

Rev Neal: Just a quick thought or two-

Thank you for sharing your love and devotion to the welfare of your parents. As you know such involvement seems on the short side these days. It is great to see the support you have from those you have touched on these boards.

It is also good to see that businesses such as HAL are responding to the needs of people like your parents.

God Bless! Mike and Diane

[Rosarymb]

Sorry to hear about your dad. We had a health scare with mine last year (heart attack), and there's just something about dads, you think they'll be around forever...but mine's okay, and he's adjusted to "not being able to work like he's a 18 year old anymore." Yours will, too.

All my prayers, and I'm a RC, so you know I can't sing, but I sure can pray...:D

[RevNeal]

Everyone, thank you so much for your well-wishes and prayers. They mean a great deal to me and to my parents.

We've gotten in touch with the company that provides on-ship Dialysis services and have a list of their itineraries, so we'll be looking to see what's available.

The peritoneal dialysis is not an option for my father due to the nature of his kidney failure being linked to extreme hypertension and damage due to anti-hypertension medication. At least, that's what the doctor has said when I asked a few weeks back. I wish it were an option.

Again, thank you to everyone for their prayers and kind words on this matter. My parents love to cruise and the thought of having to never-again board ship ship was really horrible for them both ... that there are options that are provided through a third-party charter with HAL is excellent news. They also charter with Celebrity and a few other lines so, as Mom says, they can still pick and choose. That HAL is their line of preference, however, makes things so much easier.

[jhodg56010]

Revneal, my wife has been on hemodialysis for the past 8 years. During this time we have taken 5 cruises of 7 to 12 nights where she received hemodialysis on the cruise ship via Dialysis at Sea Cruises. Three were on Royal Caribbean and two were on your favorite, HAL. Our most recent was 12 nights on the Westerdam from Venice to the Greek Isles and ending in Rome October, 2004--it was fabulous. We have loved every cruise and have encountered no problems whatsoever. Our next is planned for Alaska in July '05. Dialysis at Sea is a reputable travel agency that will get you a group discount, but the treatments are expensive, around $450 per treatment and not covered by Medicare or insurance. There are usually 6 to 12 dialysis patients on these select sailings with a nurse, technician, and nephrologist. They try to do dialysis on sea days, but sometimes it is 6AM or some other pre-arranged time. We have found them to be competent and friendly. Low sodium diets are available in the dining room (not Lido) and dialysis patients must learn what foods to avoid to keep the sodium, potassium and phosphorus down. We live in Ohio but we've also arranged for hemodialysis via the internet and with help of the unit social worker at such diverse places as New York City, Cadillac, Michigan, Vancouver B.C. St. John in New Brunswick, and Montego Bay in Jamaica. It can be done! Good luck and happy sailing for all in your family. Jim

[RevNeal]

Dear Jim,

Thank you for your input. Good to get the POV.
That's about the price range I expected.
Expensive, but acceptable.

[cusyl]

I took my father to a Dialysis center 3 times a week for 3 years. It is an awful thing for your father to go thru, but will give him additional years on earth. I remember on RCL Voyager of the Seas they had such a unit as a child in the elevator had just come from having dialysis.

[mrblack]

Sorry old post I'm sure my thought is outdated