Diagnosis of any chronic illness like kidney disease can be a very turbulent time for any patient. The information and diagnosis may feel overwhelming and the patient might feel at a loss in connecting with his family, friends and even healthcare team. What is it like to live with a chronic kidney disease, how does [...]
As we approach the year-end, Team Psychonephrology would like to thank you all for your continuous support and encouragement throughout our journey together. We would like to recap some of the topics that received the widest viewership. At the beginning of this year, we started a new blog series, “in conversation series”, where the patients [...]
Below, Drs Gavril Hercz & Andreas Pierratos, nephrologists at Humber River Hospital, explain more about innovative models of care: “Needing to be on dialysis is about more than kidneys not working; it’s about a human being, with a worried family, trying to cope with a devastating loss. […]
Social media is increasingly disparaged, not least for its time-wasting capacities. In addition, it has fuelled a dramatic decrease in face-to-face communication, with more people forgetting the difference between the real and virtual world. However one cannot deny the vast positive change social media has bestowed, the ability to connect and communicate with people from [...]
I still vividly remember her last night here. She wasn’t fully conscious. Just enough to keep pulling down the face mask providing her with oxygen and opening her eyes to stare at me, before she resumed dozing off. I have no idea if she knew I was there. Yet, I still sat at her side, [...]
Is your decision well informed? Living kidney donations save many lives every year. It can be best described as the donation of a kidney from a healthy person, made of his or her own free will. Donating an organ gives you a sense of accomplishment, as you were able to save another person’s life. You [...]
Physician-Assisted Death in the Renal Unit? A special four-part series on the various struggles physicians face with the legalization of Physician-Assisted Death. PART FOUR In Conversation with Drs Rauf Sirman, Sonu Gaind and James Downar The series ends with a discussion between presenters Drs Rauf Sirman, Sonu Gaind, and James Downar and the audience comprised of community/academic [...]
Physician-Assisted Death in the Renal Unit? A special four-part series on the various struggles physicians face with the legalization of Physician-Assisted Death. PART THREE Physician-Assisted Death in Canada: Where We Are, Where We Are Going Presented by Dr. James Downar Dr. Downar expands upon Dr. Gainds lecture by exploring the various infringements in mental illness brought up in [...]
Physician-Assisted Death in the Renal Unit? A special four-part series on the various struggles physicians face with the legalization of Physician-Assisted Death. PART TWO Do Not Harm – Help Me Die: Navigating Mental Health Issues in the Turbulent Waters of Intolerable Suffering and (Ir)remediability Presented by Dr. Sonu Gaind Dr. Sonu Gaind opens up his lecture by [...]
The role of the caregiver can be quite onerous, supporting and advocating for a loved one without pause. These activities can become very tiring, without necessarily receiving the reciprocal support which would refuel an individual. As well, there may be feelings of guilt in being the healthy one, with no room for voiced complaints. This [...]
