December 2016 by deborah berry
I have been a patient at the Escondido center since I started dialysis about three months ago. So this whole thing was a learning curve for sure. But the whole staff is amazing!! From office, social worker (Brooke is amazing for any insurance and other problems you might have to face) dietitian, and of course, the what I call "the angels" that actually take care of you through the whole process. You quickly realize they are now even a part of your extended family. Case in point, I am actually going to have to transfer to the San Marcos center, because it has been my intention all along to sign up for the home hemo opportunity, but in my area (north San Diego county area) only San Marcos has this program. And while I am anxious to get that started here in about a week (I have already meet with the training team and some of the San Marcos people, and I already know I am going to love it there) BUT, I am very sad to leave the Escondido center because how close you become with their amazing super staff. The only bright light is knowing after I am all trained and finally doing home hemo, I will be going back to the Escondido center to inform the other patients that there actually is a process they can go through, so they too can have the home hemo process!!! It is a very scary thing going to a very busy place like a dialysis center, especially when u find that you really don't find much patient to patient contact. That may just be because this center has a high percentage of Spanish speaking patients, and sadly, I don't speak Spanish...though now I really want too, So instead your social world is your angel workers. They care very much about your experience, every time you go. You might be intimidated as they rush about taking care of all the beeps and warnings the machines give off, but rest assured they are just very good at their job, and enjoy a fun positive "talking" patient, such as myself. Lol. My immediate staff are very sad that I will be leaving them. (Or so they tell me! Lol) You know they must be that good, when I am so sad to leave them too!! After all, going to dialysis three times a week is usually not in anyone's "things I love doing" list, but a caring center is the element you need to see and find for sure, and I highly recommend the Escondido Davita center to make sure you to can find and experience their amazing staff. God bless the employees of the center, and God bless you too, during this scary part of your life. I highly recommend that you realize, that while it eats up a lot of your time every week, after week, after week, BUT taking just one second to clearly look around the room while being hooked up yourself, you will be humbled and blessed when you realize? Thatvif there was no such thing as dialysis, all of us would no longer be looking forward to our next birthdays. Yes, the whole process is talking about keeping you alive and "still kicking it!" So yes, for that I will always be grateful...but adding the positive experience is a super bonus too!!!
