More independency and autonomy
Thirty-year-old Seda from Rhineland-Palatinate is one of about 100,000 people who are dependent on dialysis in Germany. Like most patients, she dialyzed for a long time at a center – until she switched to home hemodialysis in 2020. She has not looked back since then.
Read about Seda’s experience with home dialysis, how her life has changed since the switch, and what her father thinks of home dialysis.
Seda's story
I chose home hemodialysis to become more independent and self-sufficient. The recurring trips to the center were very tiring and exhausting, and also restrictive, because I could not live my life as spontaneously as I sometimes like to do. Moreover, the prospect of physical improvement, greater well-being and better blood values naturally prompted me to make the decision. I am delighted with all the support I have had, and continue to have, every step of the way.
„I can spend more time with my family and experience a better quality of treatment.“
For my father and my family, the whole situation took some getting used to at first. But he, too, supported me in my decision for home dialysis from the beginning. He notices his daughter fitter, more present, and I can do anything I want, such as cooking. Beforehand, I was always too exhausted after dialysis and had to sleep a lot, even during the day I did night dialysis at the center, but going home in the middle of the night at 3:00 a.m. was no fun at all. I also now appreciate the independence in terms of time and staff, and the calmer atmosphere. In the meantime, dialysis has been integrated into our everyday life, and I can spend more time with my family and experience a better quality of treatment. My father is convinced that there should always be a second person present or a video or sound monitor in place when he leaves the room. I do the setup and operate the device myself, still my father often accompanies me during the treatment so he can intervene immediately in case of an emergency.
I would advise all patients who are comfortable with managing condition to consider having home hemodialysis, but I would not recommend it to new dialysis patients. It takes immense self-discipline, and this is not easy to do if you have just started dialysis. In addition to family, you need to have a well-organized support network behind you.
