As you know, I am making this trip to the US and Canada this July. And one problem is the dialysis. I need to get good enough dialysis during my trip to be able to avoid having severe diet and fluid restrictions and also to feel good. Less dialysis means more diet and fluid restrictions and less energy and less feeling 'normal'.

At the same time I need to avoid too many day-time regular four hour sessions. Otherwise I will feel like I am spending more time on dialysis than on having fun! If it is night time sessions, bring them on! I can take any number of them.

So, its a fine balance.

The night time dialysis will only be possible at centers since I will obviously not have a dialysis machine where I will be staying. Very few centers offer nocturnal dialysis at the clinic. Those who do, offer only limited days. For example, Davita centers that I have talked to only offer either Monday, Wednesday, Friday slots or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday slots for in-center nocturnal dialysis.

A couple of weeks back, I had my whole schedule ready and I sent it to all my friends and relatives in the places I would be visiting. A few days back, however, the seeds of self-doubt were sown by a dear friend, Murali (himself on dialysis) when he cautioned in a comment to a post on this blog that I must be prepared for 'complete fluid restriction'. Gosh! that sounded horrible! Especially since I was not used to any fluid restriction. Since then I have reworked my trip plan, shortened it, changed the dates, changed the places, removed some destinations, dropped the plan altogether, resurrected the plan, everything possible!

I now have a plan that seems feasible. I have had to change some stuff to accommodate more nocturnal dialysis and less four hour sessions. I am still doing the same places but in a different order to enable me to get better dialysis and hence - more fun!