By Dori Wolf of Woodland, CA, DPC Patient Ambassador
Finding out I had kidney disease in 1984 forced me to change a lot in my life. Thankfully, due to my work to stay healthy, I was able to avoid needing dialysis until 2007.
Starting dialysis was a draining experience that required drastic changes to my diet and exercise habits, despite constantly feeling unwell. However, with the support of my family, I’ve been able to follow doctors’ advice and keep up with treatments.
A major frustration, however, has been a lack of coordination in my care. I have 32 allergies to antibiotics, and frequently having to stay on top of all my treatments and make sure that I only receive medications that are safe for me, especially when going to a new clinic. If I weren’t so proactive, I could have serious health problems as a result.
That’s why it’s so important that Congress continue its work on a new bill called the Better Kidney Care Act, which would set up a national coordinated care framework to help take some of the burden off of patients. By supporting this bill, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi and his California colleagues in Congress can take a stand to help dialysis patients like me.
