Home Dialysis Keeps DCI Patient Traveling
Posted in Articles by Dialysis Clinic, Inc.
Albert and Sabina Bye of Carson City, Nev., have travelled throughout their 46-year marriage.
Their wandering ways have taken the couple cross country in their RV, to Canada and Mexico, and on multiple cruises to Hawaii, Italy, Spain, across the Atlantic Ocean and through the Panama Canal. “We enjoy traveling, and I love to cruise,” said Albert, who is 82 years young.
The Byes were preparing for a 12-day trip to Sicily, Italy, and Malta in 2022 before Albert’s kidney function began declining after contracting COVID, accelerating his kidney failure and ultimately requiring dialysis. “…but it hasn’t stopped me,” Albert said.
His new health challenges weren’t going to keep the couple from enjoying their next adventure. “I’m very lucky, a lot of people my age have worse things going on,” Albert said. “My living style is modified, but I’m still living,” Albert said. “I can live a pretty normal life.”
Just weeks ahead of their trip, Albert’s DCI Carson City Nurses Melody Glisson and Anna Panesa, Dietitian Ashley Marshall and Medical Director Dr. Jusmin Patel collaborated to teach the Byes how to perform manual peritoneal dialysis through the peritoneal membrane in his abdomen and helped them pack the dialysate necessary to keep Albert feeling his best. His care team also coordinated with the airlines to ensure Albert’s equipment and supplies traveled with them and requested handicap accommodations for the Byes.
“Their situation allowed us to exemplify DCI’s mission, by providing us an opportunity to help our patient achieve something amazing,” said DCI Carson City MSN, RN Melody Glisson. “A trip around Italy is on many people’s bucket lists. We were able to help our patient achieve this.”
“DCI is a wonderful team, everyone … is perfect,” Albert said.
The Byes brought the necessary medical supplies and Albert dialyzed while asleep in their hotel room. They “had a wonderful time” enjoying the “beautiful islands” and the delicious meals, especially the double-double chocolate ganache gelato.
Most recently, Albert and Sabina traveled to Denver with his dialysis machine in 2023 to meet their six-month-old great-great granddaughter.
“Kidney failure is a hard realization and an even harder adjustment,” Melody said. “So many things about life must change, that we try our best to maintain normalcy as much as possible. I especially love the way the Byes have approached kidney failure. They always schedule something to look forward to, which is the way we all should live. They are living a life that anyone would look at and say ‘goals.’”
When the Byes travel to Philadelphia and later board a cruise in New York in 2024, Albert and Sabina will pack his peritoneal dialysis machine again and coordinate shipping of his solution to their hotel and U.S. port of call.
Albert shares his tips for dialysis patients who enjoy traveling and are considering their next vacation:
- If you want to travel, if you want to cruise, take the machine.
- Pack one night of solution with you.
- Arrange for the remaining solution to be delivered to your destination.
- If you can’t do the machine, carry on or take the solution with you and dialyze manually.
When not traveling, the Byes spend time with their three children, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and great-great granddaughter, while also providing care for an elderly parent. They are actively involved in Carson City’s Elks Lodge, supporting veterans, young adults through scholarships and smaller local charities, and recently attended the statewide Elks convention.
Great job to the DCI Carson City team for empowering patients to live their best lives possible! We look forward to hearing more about the Byes’ adventures.
Tags: PD patient , PD, Patient story, Patient care, Travel