[ddluat]

Dear Friends:

My name is Luat Doan. My aunt is involving in chronic renal failure last stage. Do any one can help and adive me what to do, where can find a specialist hospital of kidney transplant, nephrologists..etc? please .......please....please !!!!
Luat Doan
[moderator note: personal contact information has been removed]

[angieskidney]

There is no way for anyone to contact you for obvious reasons (security .. this is to keep you safe) but I will tell you that there should be many options available to you. If you are in the USA you can look on the Renal Support Network's website (look it up in search engines) and call their Toll Free HopeLine which you can talk to people who could help you maybe? There is also the local Kidney Foundation which should be able to give you some advice.

Sorry I can't be more helpful but it is hard when I don't know what area you are in and can't give you contacts (websites, or emails). All I can do is give you more to try in search engines.

Somethings that can help your aunt with Stage 5 Renal (Kidney) Disease is to watch what she eats and how much fluids she drinks. Foods with Phosphate or Potassium are not good for people with Kidney Disease .. especially stage 5 (the last stage - also called ESRD .. another term to look up on the net).

Another site that might be helpful is the DaVita site. They give a lot of information without having to sign up on the forum .. or you could sign up on the forum as well if you wish.

I know of other sites but those are the best I can think of right now. Good luck.

Also .. I want to add .. don't worry too much. Kidney Failure isn't the end of the world. Just the end of the kidneys ... I have lost my kidneys when I was 16 and I am now currently 35! Dialysis is the next step which is a kidney machine. This is til she can get a kidney transplant. Don't worry .. just become more informed. Learn as much as you can. But please breathe and know the answers are out there.

As far as I know .. you don't have to find a Nephrologist on your own. Depending on your coverage and where you live .. your Aunt should be set up with a Nephrologist when it is time to start discussing dialysis. This is as far as I know. You should however know that I am telling you this as a foreigner. I am a Canadian. But I am on the border so I have learned a lot about the American system. Still I am not as informed as an American and why I suggest you call the Renal Support Network if you are in the USA. I don't know anything about the UK or Australia however if you are from there ..