As readers will know, I have to attend hospital for dialysis treatment three times each week thanks to the kidney failure due to Goodpasture Syndrome back in December 2018. It is surprising that it is nearly two years ago now. Throughout my time on dialysis—both hæmodialysis and peritoneal dialysis—there is always the problem of what to wear to go to dialysis. You see, once you are ready for dialysis, any hoody or jumper has to come off to allow access to either the Permacath in your chest, the Tenchkoff in your abdomen, or as now with me the fistula in your arm. Removing that level of clothing can leave you getting cold in a hospital bed.
Every time I get a new shirt, the first thing I try is to see whether I can get the sleeve high enough to give access to my fistula. T-shirts are fine—but then the other arm gets cold. I had begun to think that after the Level 5 lockdown in Ireland is over, I would go to the local tailor shop and ask if they could alter some shirts so that there were a flap to gain access.
Great minds think alike, and I was very pleased to see an article in the Irish Kidney Association’s magazine about Dialize Clothing. The founder of Dialize Clothing, Paddy Cox is on hæmodialysis himself and understands the problem of access for dialysis. He’s designed some wonderful garments to allow for access not just for dialysis, but also for chemotherapy, diabetics, and all IV or PICC treatments.
“As a fighter of kidney disease I have endured many years of dialysis treatments. I designed this IV accessible clothing brand with the aim of making a stylistic yet discreet garment for dialysis, chemotherapy, diabetics and all IV or PICC line treatments. The design ensures Dialize clothing can be worn for treatment and any activity without anyone knowing one is wearing medical clothing.”
I have worn my Teal Dialize Arterior Half Zip top to dialysis once so far—last night—and the nurses and even other patients noticed it. They were all really enthusiastic about it, asking me where I got it, where did I hear about them. As I had my laptop with me, I showed them the website and the other products available.
One of my favourite products is the Thermal blanket. As I said above, when in a hospital bed you can get quite cold when sat there for over three-and-a-half hours and unable to move about. The blanket now means I can take my own with me, it can be washed at home and ready for the next treatment day easily. Just at the moment, they are sold out which just goes to show how popular they are. I hope they get them back in soon. I know a lot of patients who are looking to buy one.
One question from the nurses though: are there any plans for trousers for patients with fistulas in their legs?
For further information visit the Dialize Clothing website at https://dializeclothing.com
HIV Blogger | living positively 