Dialysis Without Fear: A Guide to Living Well on Dialysis for Patients and Their Families by Daniel Offer, Marjorie Kaiz Offer, Susan Offer Szafir

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Synopsis

More than 400,000 people in the United States undergo kidney dialysis. If you or a member of your family are one of them, then the prospect of a regular appointment with a dialysis machine may seem like the end of life itself. But that reaction couldn't be more wrong.

In Dialysis Without Fear, psychiatrist and dialysis patient Dr. Daniel Offer joins with his wife, Marjorie Kaiz Offer, and daughter, Susan Offer Szafir, to reveal how life can be lived--and lived well--on dialysis. Drawing on his long medical career and more than seven years of personal experience with dialysis, Dr. Offer dispels many misconceptions surrounding this treatment, explaining how you can adapt to the new diet, travel, work and continue to partake in life's joys and celebrations. But the fears and hardships can be quite real, and Dr. Offer brings his years as a psychiatrist to bear as he provides practical advice on how patients can overcome them. Walking through each step of dialysis, he explains different types of treatment, examines the pros and cons of a transplant, and discusses side effects. Since dialysis affects the entire family, Dr. Offer and his coauthors also provide realistic insights into how relatives can cope and thrive together, sharing the humor, courage, and triumphs of real families who have successfully faced the challenges of dialysis. The result is an inspiring, practical guide that will help you and your family learn to overcome the difficulties of dialysis, live without fear, and enjoy every day.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:B. Peter Sawaya, MD (University of Kentucky College of Medicine)
Description:This is a rather unique monograph written by a physician-patient and his family specifically for patients undergoing dialysis and their families.
Purpose:The objectives are to provide patients and their families with a road map for successfully living on dialysis and to cover a range of practical and personal topics in an interesting, relevant, and enjoyable to read way. The authors have succeeded in achieving their rather unique goals.
Audience:Although written for patients undergoing dialysis and their families, the book could be very useful for physicians, nurses, dietitians, and social workers involved in the care of these patients because of the insights into a patient's perception of his disease and its management.
Features:The book describes the hemodialysis procedure and all the involved terminology, which can be confusing and overwhelming to patients starting on dialysis. It also extensively deals with the emotions and impact of dialysis on the patients and their families. More importantly, in every chapter, the authors do not lose site of their main objective of providing a guide to patients on how one can live well on dialysis. The authors also have solicited the perspectives of other dialysis patients, medical professionals, and particularly dietitians and social workers. This book is easy to read and, as the authors have indicated, it is also fun to read because of its good sense of humor.
Assessment:Kudos to Dr. Offer and his family! I absolutely loved this book. It did not take me long to reference it andquote from it in a speech I gave during our annual awards ceremony for patients and their caregivers. While the book is directed to patients and their families, I find it an absolute must-read for all those involved in the care of dialysis patients including nephrologists, dialysis nurses, dietitians, and social workers. It has some pretty good suggestions on how we can approach and motivate our patients.

Biography

Daniel Offer, M.D., is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences at Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. The author of sixteen books and 200 scientific articles, he has been on dialysis since 1999. Marjorie Kaiz Offer is a Research Assistant in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine, and is married to Daniel Offer. Susan Offer Szafir is a freelance writer and marketer, and is the daughter of Daniel and Marjorie.