In 1975, Edward was 19, just married, and looking forward to life. A case of strep throat seemed like a minor setback. He took antibiotics and felt better—but the strep led to kidney damage. "After a few months of painful testing, I was told I had glomerulonephritis," he recalls.

Doctors told Edward and his wife that there was no cure for his kidney disease and he would one day need dialysis. "I was young and stupid," he admits, "and I did not follow my doctors' advice. I did not watch my weight, and as a result, my blood pressure was high." Today, he knows that years of high blood pressure took a toll on his kidneys.

Facing dialysis

Almost 30 years later, Edward's new nephrologist told him that his kidney disease had reached to the point when he would need dialysis. "What I heard was 'DIE-AL-I-SIS,'" he says. "I told him that it was a transplant or nothing for me."

A few months later, Edward began to feel really sick. He was sick to his stomach, couldn't sleep, and his potassium level dropped dangerously low. His doctor put him in the hospital, and the whole event helped Edward to see that he didn't want to die. He agreed to start dialysis.

A new way of life

"With the help of my beautiful wife, I started peritoneal dialysis (PD) in March of 2005," Edward reports. He went to the DaVita clinic in Stockton, CA, for two weeks of training with PD nurse Nancy Wegat. He learned to do PD with 4–5 manual fluid exchanges each day.

After a few months, he switched to cycler PD (CCPD) so he could go back to work in sales in the automotive department of Sears. Using a cycler lets Edward get all the PD he needs while he sleeps at night, so his days are free for work.

These days, Edward does his PD for 9 hours each night. He goes to the DaVita clinic once a week for a shot of EPO (erythropoietin), and once a month for lab work. He handles the PD all on his own.

Support from the clinic team

Edward notes that the support he gets from his care team is a big part of his success. "My relationship with my clinic is more than professional," Edward says. " It's personal!" He thinks of his training nurse, Nancy, his other PD nurse, Cindy Harrison, and all of his team members (Robert, Trina, Blair, Rick, and Sangita) as his friends. "These people have helped me through some dark days in my life," he adds.

The support of his care team was especially helpful to Edward after his wife of 33 years died. "I was heartbroken," he says, "but they made sure that I kept up my PD and kept my levels in a healthy range. They also lent a sympathetic ear when I wanted to talk. I thank God for each one of them." The team helped Edward get through a serious illness, and they still give him the support he needs to do PD on his own.

The right choice

Edward is glad he made the choice to give dialysis—and PD at home—a try. "PD is more than just a treatment," he says. "It is a way of life, a way to live as normal as possible, and get your dialysis in the comfort of your own home."

"I am thankful to my doctor and to the whole team at DaVita, but most of all I am thankful to my God who gave me the love of a wonderful woman for 33 years, and who gives me the strength each day to go on alone. The most important part of my treatment is my FAITH. If I had to do it over again, I would do it all the same!"