Desi has been receiving dialysis treatment since November 2024, when he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal failure. From November to January, he underwent hemodialysis (HD dialysis), requiring a chest catheter connected to his heart. We visited the Phoenix Children’s Hospital clinic three times a week for about four hours, causing significant school absences. In late January, Desi began peritoneal dialysis (PD dialysis) using a tube in his abdominal cavity. Every night he is connected to a machine, Claria, Desi’s Peritoneal dialysis machine. The nightly setup process takes approximately 45 minutes. The machine runs for 10 hours while he sleeps. In the morning, disassembly and detachment take around 15 minutes. This change has allowed him to attend school and brought a bit of normalcy to our lives.

Alicia attended a 2-week training course, where she learned to properly operate the machine, administer medication and give injections. Their monthly supply delivery is substantial, mainly due to the dialysis solution, which requires considerable storage space. Each treatment requires two 6,000 ML bags.