Sana All: The New Battlecry of CKD Patients

Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno previously open the country’s largest free dialysis center with almost 100 hemodialysis machines matching the capabilities of the National Kidney and Dialysis Center (NKTI).

The said news spread out all over the country and most of the patients are hoping that there will be a free dialysis center near their area. The battlecry begins as all the CKD Patients or patients with Chronic Kidney Disease are saying “Sana All” (Hopefully All). Quite funny but there is a deeper meaning.

What about us who are also suffering this kind of disease? Imagine how much we are struggling for our hemodialysis fee per session plus our dialyzer, IV Iron and Epoetin including our maintenance medicine.

What about Philhealth?

Yes! Indeed Philhealth is giving free 90 dialysis sessions, BUT we are also paying for our doctor’s fee/professional fee ranging from 400 to 700 pesos. After the 90 sessions, a CKD patient has no choice but to cash out or pay all the fees ranging from 3,000-4,000 pesos – that’s impossible to earn in just a day or two.

During the month of November, most of the CKD Patients who undergone hemodialysis did not know how to resolve where they can get money. Some of them are doing some small business, but most of them urge to go to lending companies.

We are almost dying both our body and our pocket and the government is not taking some actions.

What about PCSO?

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office or PCSO is also giving a guarantee letter for epoetin and medical treatment but this is not enough and it’s difficult to get a slot – and sometimes you will need exert effort to go in the middle of the night in their office.

What about the Malasakit Centers?

Like here in our province, we do not have Malasakit Centers and we don’t know who we are going to approach for.

How about the Universal Health Bill?

We are also hoping that this will be implemented next year. I really don’t know what is going on with this bill.

Why NOT Free For All?

I heard that the hemodialysis and the medication in other countries, like United States, are free. Why not all here in the Philippines? That is the question. We do not know where to get money for our HD session. Why not?

A Letter From A Hemodialysis Patient

To whom it may concern,

Good Day!

This was the first time that I am writing to all of you. I don’t know where should I start or should I say… I am too shy to say something. If you are asking me if I am OK, then “Yes! I am quite OK! – for now…”

I remember when I rushed to the hospital and my doctor said that I will need to undergone dialysis. I was fully devastated and I was thinking that was beginning of my end. I don’t know how to talk to God… I was shaking while I was in the Emergency Room. You don’t know what I am thinking? I do not know as well because I am feeling insane as my creatinine serum went up to 1,000+. I was in between life and death until I noticed I was in the Surgery Room waiting for my turn. Imagine, six-inched venous access sucked into my neck. I don’t feel any pain because of anesthesia but it kills my tenacity as time passes by.

There some syllogism that if you will undergo dialysis, you will meet your end as soonest as possible but we have God that knows all. By the time I was in the hemodialysis machine, I felt that I was drained. My edema limits my mobility.

A month later, when another fistula surgery initiated in a private hospital. I did not feel the pain but I was also praying to our Lord God to guide me and take care of me.

After a month or two, my IJ catheter was removed from my neck and my fistula is ready. The pain isn’t over my friend… Every hemodialysis session, two catheters were sucked into my veins. And every session, an average of 3 to 4 liters of water drained into my body. After my session, I feel so weak and dumb, like you care. But thanks to my Mom… she’s always on my side taking care of me.

No words can express the pain that we experience like we cannot able to sleep well because of shortening of breath or we are chilling at night. The struggle is real my friend… and I do not want you to feel the same because I care for you.

The physical pain does not end there. Why? Because we are also suffering financial pain. Every time that we have undergone dialysis, we will need to pay for the services rendered by the hemodialysis center as well as the professional fee for the nephrologist. We also need to pay for our dialyzer, IV Iron and Epoetin (when needed). But thanks to PCSO, I can get my guaranteed letter to acquire 8 injections of Epoetin Alfa.

Aside from that, we need to buy our maintenance medicine like Ferrous Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Renvela, etc. I am not putting myself down my friend, we still believe in God that this kind of sickness will come to pass.

We are not pleading for money, we are pleading for your prayers to guide us and heal us. My friend… please pray for us that we can overcome the pain that we have gone through by the name of our savior Jesus Christ.

To my fellow CKD warriors, please stay positive and every time we do, ask God for guidance. We can overcome this disease and stay strong and be positive. #LabanLang #CKDWarriors

Keep The Faith,

One of the CKD Warriors