Dialysis Without Fear ─ A Guide to Living Well on Dialysis for Patients and Their Families

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.

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.