From Concerned to Confident: A Home Dialysis Journey

When Paul Sparta’s kidney disease came out of left field, he and his wife Cheryl weren’t about to let it take away from their time together. Paul, a retired school superintendent from New Jersey, didn’t see the warning signs of kidney disease until his symptoms were severe. He had serious health complications, and after a few months of in-center dialysis treatments, Paul and Cheryl were ready to try something new.

“I wanted to ensure that Paul would have the best care I could give him,” says Cheryl, a retired nurse. At first glance, home dialysis might not have looked like the obvious choice, but the Spartas wanted to explore every treatment option. Cheryl continues, “Once we learned that we might be able to do dialysis treatments at home, that became our goal.” The Spartas soon met with a Kidney Care Advocate (KCA) to learn if home dialysis was right for their lifestyle—and it was.

Although Cheryl’s medical background helped prepare her for her role as Paul’s care partner, she specialized in mother-baby care, not dialysis. Learning how to perform these treatments was a whole new ball game. Still, she felt like she needed to be a star student during home dialysis training. “I didn’t want to flub it up!” she laughs. But a medical background isn’t necessary to learn how to do home dialysis. The Spartas’ care team was always there, cheering them on and providing all the resources they needed to succeed. “At first, I used to get butterflies every time I did it,” Cheryl says. “Now I feel very confident at home.”

Everyone who goes through home dialysis training has unlimited access to educational resources and 24/7 clinical support. Paul and Cheryl have nothing but gratitude for their care team—especially their home dialysis nurses. “All the staff is so nice, so supportive,” Cheryl says. “They bend over backwards to make the learning process easy for us. I can’t say enough good things about them.”

Paul and Cheryl are feeling more comfortable and relaxed with home dialysis. Everyone needs a break now and then, and the Spartas are glad to know that home dialysis isn’t their only option and that in-center treatments can be scheduled as a backup. This is sometimes known as respite care. “I have to take care of me, too,” says Cheryl. “If I’m tired or we’re having a bad week and want to do in-center treatments for a while, they can find a spot for us.” 

Paul and Cheryl also appreciate that with the support of their care team, they can do dialysis on a schedule that works best for them. Cheryl says, “We can talk to the care team about juggling treatment times if needed. If someone’s coming to visit us, we can change the treatment day. This flexibility has been wonderful.” Thanks to home dialysis, Paul can focus on getting his energy back—and enjoying his favorite hobbies like watching baseball. 

Switching to home dialysis treatments has transformed their lives, and the Spartas hope more people consider their options. “Try it,” urges Cheryl. “At least try the training—there’s no harm. I’m so glad we did. My husband’s happier, and that makes me happy, too.”