Emotions and Access Choices

Each of these resources can help you learn more about coping with your feelings about kidney failure and needing a vascular access:

Phase 1: AAKP Patient Plan
56-page book, Diagnosis to Treatment Choice, explains on pages 7-12 how to work with your care team to deal with your emotions about kidney failure. Also covers depression, anxiety, and how to talk about kidney disease with your family and friends. From the AAKP.

Kidney School Module 8 - Vascular Access: A Lifeline for Dialysis
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Illustrated, 27-page module has tips for dealing with fears such as surgery, needles and needle sticks, and worries about access scars. Includes personal stories and information on numbing creams to ease needle pain. From Life Options' Kidney School (MEI).

Putting "U" in Fistula
12-page newsletter presents information on fears about having a fistula created (surgery, needles, pain) and reviews numbing medications. From ESRD Network 12 (the Heartland Kidney Network).

Conquering Your Fistula Fear
3-page fact sheet has a wealth of information on how to conquer fear of dialysis (such as needle sticks and blood loss) and fear of the medical setting, health care providers, and/or surgery. Also covers concerns about how a fistula looks and gives tips on dealing with strangers' questions. From the Heartland Kidney Network, with input from the 18 ESRD Networks across the nation.