RESOURCES

I first conceived of the RESOURCES page as being divided between resources for the general public, for people living with chronic health conditions, for people living with dialysis and for nephrologists. Then I realized that it’s really all about LIFE. Whether you are healthy, living with a chronic health condition or living with dialysis, you will find something that speaks to you here. Why? Because these resources are about affirming life ... living fully and in the present.

NOTE TO PHYSICIANS: The following readings are strongly suggested for you as well. I believe that the attitudes and philosophies expressed will help you be of maximum service to your patients. In my experience of living with dialysis since 1975, these readings and resources have been extremely helpful. Many physicians I have spoken with over the years have mentioned several of the titles/resources below as having inspired them or helped them in their work.

Benson, Herbert and Miriam Z. Klipper. The Relaxation Response. 2000

Frankl, Viktor. Man’s Search for Meaning. 1946

NOTE: The book I recommend most-often. Absolutely life-changing.

Cousins, Norman. Anatomy of an Illness. 1983

Gawande, Atul. The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right. 2009

NOTE: One of my favorite authors (who is also a surgeon), writes elegantly about a deceptively simple solution that applies in all walks of life.

Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence. 1995

NOTE: An eye-opening take on what intelligence is all about.

Lorig, Kate, and Halsted Holman, David Sobel, Diana Laurent, Virginia Gonzalez, Marian Minor. Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, 2012.

NOTE: A treasure of helpful information.

Kleinman, Arthur. The Illness Narratives: Suffering, Healing & The Human Condition. 1988

NOTE: When I read this book when it was first published, I found myself crying and nodding, YES! , over and over again. If more doctors practiced medicine like Dr. Kleinman, this would be a very different world.

Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth. On Death and Dying. 1997

Seligman, Martin. Authentic Happiness, 2004.

Siegal, Bernie. Love, Medicine & Miracles. 1986

Siegal, Daniel. Mindsight. 2010

NOTE: Dr. Siegal’s, beautifully-written book offers an amazing approach that addresses non-productive thought patterns , helping us understand ourselves and our relationships

Sobel, David and Robert Ornstein. The Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Handbook, 1996.

Stahl, Bob and Elisha Goldstein. A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook, 2010

Weil, Andrew. Healthy Aging: A Life-Long Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being, 2005.

DIALYSIS RESOURCES

In addition to all of the above resources, the following resources apply to nephrologists, those working in the renal field and people living with kidney dialysis and their families.

American Association of Kidney Patients

https://www.aakp.org/

This organization was created in 1969 by people living with dialysis and for people living with dialysis. Since then, it has expanded to offer education and encouragement to people living with chronic kidney disease, dialysis, transplants and their families. They are also an excellent educational resource for professionals.

Medical Education Institute

http://meiresearch.org/

NOTE: This not-for-profit organization has offered top-flight education for both professionals and people living with kidney disease since it began in 1993.. The education offered, in all types of media, is comprehensive and outstanding. It’s clear how I feel about this organization and the folks behind it.

Bridging the Barriers

Life Options Rehabilitation Advisory Council. Renal Rehabilitation: Bridging the Barriers. Medical Education Institute, 1994

NOTE: For nephrologists, professionals working in the renal field and those wanting a better life with dialysis. If you want to improve outcomes & quality of life for people living with dialysis, this is a MUST-READ. This information-packed white paper (it’s long and worth every page) was a revelation when I first read it. I had seen NOTHING like it before. If this work is truly implemented in the way it should, it stands to revolutionize the field of kidney disease.