Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital’s newly opened kidney dialysis unit has been a game-changer for patients like Kevin. This unit allows patients to receive life-saving dialysis treatments closer to home, reducing the time and cost of travel.
Kevin’s story highlights how this facility has significantly improved his quality of life by making essential medical care more accessible and less burdensome.
Renal disease led to kidney dialysis
Kevin’s kidney issues started over 30 years ago while he was living on the mid-north coast. One morning coming in from the beach, he started to feel dizzy. He called into his local chemist on his way home who told him he had high blood pressure and recommended he see his general practitioner (GP).
His GP scheduled some scans and tests and referred him to a nephrologist (kidney specialist). “It was then that I found out I had a tumour on my right kidney,” said Kevin.
He had early kidney cancer which was localised and initially his treatment involved active monitoring by his specialist. When the tumour started to grow, it was recommended that the kidney be removed in a procedure called a radical nephrectomy in December 2004.
His nephrologist continued to monitor Kevin’s kidney function, but scans revealed that the left kidney couldn’t compensate for the loss of the removed organ and was deteriorating. As kidneys act as filters for the body, Kevin was informed he would ultimately require haemodialysis (HD) to remove waste and extra fluid from his blood.
When Kevin relocated to Sydney, he was under the care of a new nephrologist. Feeling increasingly unwell and fatigued, his specialist advised him that he had 8% kidney function and was now suffering from end-stage renal disease.
“That was 2015 and I retired then,” said Kevin, “to dialysis!”
Life-saving kidney dialysis sessions feel like going to the office
To start HD, Kevin had an arteriovenous fistula created, which is a surgical procedure connecting an artery with a vein in his left arm. Before HD, a nurse inserts two cannulas into the fistula; one to remove the blood and send it to the dialysis machine, where it is filtered, and the second to pump the blood back into the body.
Kevin began HD at Royal North Shore Hospital three times a week and at first, his sessions would last for four hours. It took several months to fine-tune his treatment, but once his body became accustomed to the procedure, Kevin says he treated each visit like he was going to the office for work.
“The nurses in the dialysis unit at Royal North Shore Hospital were very good and they provided assurance on what was happening and clarified any questions I had,” said Kevin.
Living in Northern Sydney, one of Kevin’s biggest burdens was incurring the cost of driving to and from RNSH three times a week for HD which would now last up to five hours.
But when Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital opened the doors of its dialysis unit in December 2022, Kevin was one of their first patients. The completion of the $321 million redevelopment of Ku-ring-gai Hospital ensures the new dialysis unit is making healthcare more accessible and convenient to the community.
“Having haemodialysis treatment closer to home has made my life much easier – the convenience is amazing, and it has dramatically cut the cost of petrol and driving time,” said Kevin. “The staff are still absolutely caring and helpful, and as it’s a smaller unit than Royal North Shore Hospital, it feels more community-like.”
During his visits, Kevin likes having conversations with fellow patients, cheering them up if they are a bit down, sharing news and information he’s learned from an online dialysis chat group he’s connected with.
Nurse Unit Manager for the Dialysis Unit, Raphael Paragas says, “Kevin is a thoughtful and vibrant patient. He often shows his appreciation to the nursing staff by bringing in flowers or treats. He is personable and has a knack for making others laugh through his jokes and also takes special care of new dialysis patients, helping them feel less overwhelmed by their diagnosis and treatment.”
Kevin says the nurses are keeping him alive, and as everything they do is for his benefit, he couldn’t be more grateful for their care.
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