Lorraine Poe, Jackson, TN
For more than 25 years, Lorraine Poe has been a familiar face in the Jackson, Tenn., dialysis clinic.
Lorraine grew up in Jackson. In her late 30s, her high blood pressure, or hypertension, led to kidney failure and the need for in-center hemodialysis.
Being in the clinic multiple times each week, Lorraine looks out for others around her and shares her experience to help new patients adjust to life on dialysis.
“When you sit by a person three days a week, day in, day out, for years, you get to know them,” Lorraine said. “It is like a community.”
“She’s very outgoing, concerned about her fellow patients,” said Sonya Dilworth, DCI Jackson Social Worker. “She really gets involved, keeps us informed about the patients. You can see she really cares about others.”
Here, Lorraine shares her tips for new patients.
- Try not to miss the treatment, if there’s any way possible.
- Try to stay on (the dialysis machine) for as long as your body allows.
- Be aware of what medicines you can take, specifically what will raise your blood pressure.
- If you’re young, try to get a transplant.
- Take it one day at a time.
- Try to do what you’re told.
- Get plenty of rest.
“If something’s not working for you, talk to someone to try to reach a compromise,” Lorraine said. “You got to be aware and talk to people about what is going on.”
She attributes her longevity on dialysis to the DCI Jackson team. In addition to the patient care teams, “Dietitians, social workers, people in the office, it’s a whole team of people that make it work,” she said.
“I’ve learned a lot from the staff that I can do and they would help me with my dialysis,” Lorraine said.
“My treatments are about me, to make me feel better, to make me live a longer, healthier life,” Lorraine said. “You want to go where it’s best for you for your care. DCI exists to give good care to patients.”
Lorraine also credits her faith for “placing people in my life that knew what I needed to hear, what I needed to do, when and how.”