Going to try dialysis on the road.

[Stavie]

Got tired of waiting for a kidney and a very good deal on a 98 Holiday Rambler 38 footer came along so we jumped on it.

I've never driven or owned a coach until last week and before then the biggest vehicle I'd driven outside of the Army was a 1500 Suburban.

It has a ton of storage so we think it will be more than enough for my supplies.

I've been driving it a lot this week to get used to it and have new tires put on. I also took it to a dealer to have it checked out since the person I dealt with on the sale didn't know anything about it. After 250 miles now I feel pretty comfortable driving it.

Has anyone else tried home dialysis on the road?

I'd love to hear from you if you have.

[Stavie]

I'm an RN and my wife is an LPN, and it will be hemodialysis.

I know the amount of supplies is significant but not as bad as peritoneal.

The ideal situation would be the ability to get the filters, tubing and solution on the road and only need to carry a months worth at a time.

I had my shunt put in on May 1st and my labs in 2 weeks will decide when I start. I was pretty close in June but in stage 5 failure lab values tend to go on wild swings, so I might have some time still.

Our coach has a washer/dryer closet that should be perfect for the machine, and we transferred everything that was in our old TT into the coach and haven't come close to filling even half of the storage areas, so a months worth of supplies should fit with room to spare.

Nervous and excited at the same time.

[donnafbates]

I am a clinic dialysis nurse, I say go for it, live life to the full amount each day!

[Elwoodj]

We spend the winter in Seminole, fl at Roycroft Rv park 10562 70th ave Seminole, Fl. This park is only half mile from Seminole dialysis. It is in the Clearwater/St Pete area.

[Scottiemom]

Will you be on peritoneal dialysis or home hemodialysis? My MIL was on peritoneal. Her supplies took up a good portion of the bedroom and bathroom in her home. The boxes were full of solutions and they weighed a lot, so the combined weight of all those supplies would be a bit much. Plus, the solutions must be kept at a certain temperature. Having seen and helped with her supplies and procedures, I would question full time traveling. If you plan to stay in one place, that would be different. I know people seem to get along okay when they use regular dialysis and go to a center. They don't have to keep supplies or solutions, etc. Home hemodialysis may be easier than peritoneal. My MIL also had to see her doctor every month and was often in for blood work. Her prescription would change periodically and you could not return the supplies that had already been delivered, so there was the problem of getting rid of those boxes of supplies no longer needed and making room for new.

If you have a choice, you might review each method and see which one would be less cumbersome for full time living. We had a man in our park in Texas was on hemodialysis. He had a clinic there and at his home in another state and went back and forth without a problem, both doctors working together to help him realize his dream.

Dale

[joeshmoe]

Bin Laden was supposedly mobile for 10 years on dialysis and he had the entire US military looking for him. I say go for it. Life is short.

[emaav]

I say go for it and just have fun. My better half is a kidney recipient too. Just past her 2yr anniversary for it.

[Golden_HVAC]

Hi,

My ex-boss was on dialysis for years, and he full timed in a 32' long Bounder. He made arrangements for whatever town he planned to visit, and found doctors in every place that he visited.

He also belonged to Coast To Coast, and they allow camping for 2 weeks at a time in various parks across the country at about $5 per night, plus a yearly maintenance fee, and a buy in to the park that you started with. He also belonged to Western Horizons RV parks. So his "Home Park" was about 10 parks owned by Western Horizons. He could stay longer in his home parks, I think 1 month, with once a year able to extend that another 2 weeks in the off peak seasons.

Another less expensive camping club is Escapees.com At one time, they had hoped to open parks across the country, so that one could travel all over the United States and stay at Escapee parks, with them every 200 - 400 miles, within a day's drive of each other.

That has changed a bit, and now they have a home park in Livingston Tx, with mail forwarding post office there, along with a nursing home too.

I really liked the park in Coarsegold CA, it is near Yosemite. You can buy a lot for not to much money, then spend as much time as you like there. Or rent a lot on first in- first out basis, or some limit visitors to about 2 weeks.

They have another park in Congress AZ, and Benson AZ. They are great places to visit in the winter.

Also check out [freecampgrounds.com]FreeCampgrounds.com They offer many great places to spend a few days. Like BLM land, or some great forest campgrounds. You can get a discount camping card at any National Park, for a nominal fee if you are 65+ or free if you have a perminate handicap card. It gives 50% off camping fees (except electric rate camping fees). Free admission to the National Parks too.

Have fun camping!

Fred.

[twins89]

I wish you the best of luck. There have been others on this site with home dialysis. Perhaps do a search by typing in "dialysis". Dialysis is no picnic for sure and you seem to have a good outlook. Keep in touch with your doctors. Hope you enjoy your travels.