Beyond Kidney Dialysis Treatment Cost: An Alternative Life Support System

Nothing ever prepared me to face a kidney dialysis treatment cost and yet I face it every week for a little over a month now. My brother Jess, who lives with me, was rushed to the hospital for kidney failure. Now he has to undergo weekly dialysis treatment with corresponding medications to reduce prostrate swelling, decrease Creatinine blood levels, and stabilize blood pressure and other drugs to counteract side effects of other prescribed drugs.

The actual cost of laboratory tests, dialysis, doctor’s fee, transportation, snacks for the twice a week 4-5 hour dialysis treatment and daily medication would reach as much as 12,000 pesos a week. That would amount to about 48,000 pesos a month. Now, this is over and above my monthly overhead of 40,000 pesos in rent, utilities, house help, food and transportation allowance that need to be covered. This means having to think of raising 88,000 pesos a month.

In a scenario such as this, it would be easy to fall into constant depression, worry and resentment caused by refusal to face the facts. I have chosen to accept the reality and move forward by dealing with things one at a time – a strategy my brother and I have adapted to live a fuller life in this time of healing. This hub serves those who find themselves in a similar condition and may need an alternative “life support system”.

In my experience so far, I have come to believe that kidney dialysis management involves a whole lot of acceptance and self love both for the patient and family members. Acceptance is always part of the mental attitude I have emphasized in my workshops. It does not mean surrender or giving up rather it is a proactive word bringing one to the path of least resistance. This path allows one to engage in the practice of self-love.

The patient and family members can easily descend into self-pity or blame or question the why and what not of things and yet what good will these do for all involved? It only keeps everyone in the past. Acceptance is a way that can steer the patient and everyone else into the present moment.

In the present moment we can choose to love by looking at the condition as a motivating force rather than a destructive one. Using the time at hand is the best time to redefine what we truly value and want in life. Redefining priorities, identifying self limiting belief systems and then being able to accept the results of these reflections as being who we truly are, is in itself an emotional, mental and spiritual healing process ideal for physical healing to take place. This process could well be the best alternative kidney dialysis management program one can put into practice to extend life support.

To illustrate the benefits of the process I now share how it went for me.

• The moment I chose to accept my brother’s condition I knew his life was top priority over my own personal fears.
• I was then able to decide to act on things I normally would not do for fear of rejection, fear of judgment, fear of shame, fear of the plan not working etc.
• These acts included emailing family, relatives, friends, online friends and daring to ask financial support over and above the prayer support
• It also involved telling groups I normally give free service to, that I could no longer do things for free as I was now more inclined to accept projects that could afford to pay my professional fee so that I could help my brother
• The imagined fears burst into oblivion as financial support came in one after another from all over the world even from those we never knew in person like some fellow Hubbers Misha and Dottie who lovingly and willing shared their blessings with us
  
• Prayers, inspirational messages and encouraging words were sent one after another through emails, phone calls and text messages coming from the global community including fellow hubbers Violet Sun and Emohealer who sent powerful love energies through their inspirational emails.
  
• Blood donations from family and friends came which helped lessen the cost of hospitalization and treatment
• Love was being expressed in every -- exactly what my brother needed to know – that his life was valuable enough to be saved, no matter what the cost.
• The phone, text blasting and email fund raising campaign reached close to 90,000 pesos and was enough to cover hospital bills allowing my brother quality medical treatment and be discharged after almost two weeks in the hospital
• More donations came in after hospitalization providing enough funds for 4 more dialysis sessions
  
• A good amount of emotional, mental, spiritual and physical healing definitely took place in my brother’s life as much as much as those involved
• The weekly dialysis treatment cost and credit card balance was another “acceptance” we needed to face to move on to the next level

Remaining in a constant state of gratitude while knowing weekly expenses need to be covered is not necessarily a breeze. There will always be moments of worry, anxiety and stress and that is all right. Self love is all about accepting whatever feelings we may have toward certain situations. Emotions become a guide as to where we are in the moment. Knowing where we are emotionally allows us to decide what we choose to do about it. Shall we choose to wallow in it or shall we use it once more to inspire us and motivate us to live life and not just survive it. Desiring to live is the best expression of Self-Love.

Jess decided to live. Michelle Simtoco aka Ripplemaker and I joined the movement. Armed with renewed love for life we found ourselves grateful for the respective online sites we have because we saw its potential to be the source of funds that could cover the regular kidney dialysis treatment for outpatients. We found ourselves tweaking our internet sites and creating CPA dedicated sites to help raise monthly earnings online through Google Adsense and affiliate programs. Jess needs at least a monthly income of 1,200 dollars a month to cover medical bills. Michelle and I on the other hand will need more than that to cover our respective end.

Somehow, knowing how much we needed to raise, gave us a clearer target. We pledged to donate whatever amount we could give Jess through our sites while waiting that his site earns enough. Right now he averages about 250 dollars a month.

Michelle and I found ourselves more determined to understand the technicalities involved in SEO, traffic building, article marketing, email auto responders, social media and the like if only to be able to help out. We now have a better grasp at how internet tools and social networks are related to one another and we are truly grateful about it.

If you noticed, gratitude actually brought forth a more positive outlook in circumstances. It shifted the feelings of worry and anxiety into feelings of excitement, wonderment, enthusiasm to learn more and know more. The next thing we knew, we were actually living life, not merely surviving it and that is definitely another thing to be grateful about. Love combined with gratitude must be included in the kidney dialysis treatment service as an alternative way to extend life support.

We are creative beings capable of creating things that can help improve life. Accept this truth. Love this truth. Be Grateful for this truth. Live this truth. Michelle, Jess and I chose to do all and put them in action.

Michelle chose to co-create websites with me for a Jess’ cause and create additional healing energy by providing Jess with healing sessions focused on the energy points afflicted. She does so with the abundance of pure love and a generous spirit. Jess normally comes out of it with pinkish skin and glowing energy. I am ever grateful for having such an angelic friend in my midst.

Jess also chose to create his own brainwave entrainment Isochronic tone focusing on kidney failure treatment to further promote full recovery of his kidney function. He is determined to be free of dialysis treatment. He has been using his customized Isochronic tone for weeks now and I can see visible improvement particularly in his swollen ankles. This swelling is partly a side effect of prescribed drugs and despite that, the swollen ankles are now shrinking. The attached catheter and shunt for inserting the dialysis machine remain the only trace of his condition. Otherwise his physical look and disposition has improved dramatically.

I on the other hand, have chosen to create an online campaign tool to hasten the improvement of our online earnings. Using a free account, I made a page that explains how friends, family, and online readers could help make the link building strategy work which I fondly called the Life Link Campaign. It aims to involve those who wish to join our efforts in extending my brother’s life by back linking to his sites and our sites. Hubpages is the best place to launch this campaign. Please click on the link below to lend support to our cause.

YES, I WISH TO JOIN THE LIFE LINK CAMPAIGN

Today, Jess has gone to his scheduled dialysis using the last amount of cash he had on hand coming from a recent donation. His next dialysis treatment is schedule on Friday and we have yet to raise the required amount for that session. Our last food money reserved for next week was untimely used to buy LPG gas for today's cooking. I have yet to wait for payment on a weekend project to take care of that area. I am courageously and boldly appealing to those who can afford to extend immediate help to send donations through the love offering link below as another way of providing life support system.

Paypal Love Offering Link

I continue to believe in miracles as I have been a witness to them so many times. I shall now step aside and let God and the universe take over the creative ways in which we are coping with kidney dialysis treatment cost. I hold my heart in faith and with a deep thankfulness to you who have come to this page to read and support us in anyway you can. Words will never suffice to let you know how much your help means to me and my brother. Thank you for being instruments of love. Blessings...

Daisy Ba-ad