Skip to main content
  1. Careers
  2. Resource Center
  3. About Us
  4. Contact Us
  5. Español
Thrive On
Fresenius Kidney Care
  • PatientHub
  • Community

Find a Dialysis Center

Find a Dialysis Center

Find a Dialysis Center
Permission to detect location was denied Current location could not be determined
    Try a detailed search

    Need help? Call 1-888-373-1470

    1. About Kidney Disease
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease
      3. Kidney Disease Stages
      4. What Is a Nephrologist?
      5. What to Expect with CKD
      6. Kidney Disease Management
      7. Understanding Acute Kidney Injury
      8. How Kidneys Work
      9. Take a FREE CLASS on Kidney Disease
    2. Treatments
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Dialysis Basics
      3. Benefits of Home Dialysis
      4. Home Peritoneal Dialysis
      5. Home Hemodialysis
      6. Sign up to Talk to a Home Dialysis Expert
      7. In-Center Hemodialysis
      8. Transplant
      9. Insurance & Managing Costs
      10. Choosing Not to Treat
    3. Life On Dialysis
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Your Emotional Health While on Dialysis
      3. Staying Engaged
      4. Staying Healthy
      5. Dialysis Travel Services and Information
      6. Tips for Loved Ones
      7. PatientHub
    4. Recipes & Nutrition
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Recipes
      3. Managing Your Diet
      4. Fluid Management on Dialysis
      5. Dialysis Diet Planning
      6. Cookbooks
    5. Thrive Central
      1. CKD
      2. Dialysis
      3. Diet & Nutrition
      4. Stories
      5. Wellness
      6. See All
    COMMUNITY
    PATIENTHUB
    HOME
    1. I Have Kidney Disease
    2. I’m Preparing For Dialysis
    3. I’m on Dialysis
    1. Take a FREE CLASS on Kidney Disease
    2. Resource Center
    3. Recipes
    4. Request Patient Travel Services Information
    5. Sign Up for Our Newsletter

    Find a Dialysis Center

    Find a Dialysis Center

    Find a Dialysis Center
    Permission to detect location was denied Current location could not be determined
      Try a detailed search

      Need help? Call 1-888-373-1470

      1. About Us
      2. Contact Us
      3. FAQ
      4. Glossary
      5. Media
      6. Careers
      7. Español

      Need help? Call
      1-888-373-1470

      • facebook
      • twitter
      • youtube
      1. About Kidney Disease
        1. Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease
          1. Symptoms
          2. Risk Factors
          3. Causes
          4. Diagnosis and Testing
          5. GFR Calculator
        2. Kidney Disease Stages
          1. Stage 1
          2. Stage 2
          3. Stage 3
          4. Stage 4
          5. Stage 5
        3. What Is a Nephrologist?
        4. What to Expect with CKD
        5. Kidney Disease Management
          1. Kidney Diet Basics
          2. CKD Medications
          3. Your Kidney Care Team
          4. Diabetes
          5. High Blood Pressure
        6. Understanding Acute Kidney Injury
          1. Acute Kidney Injury Treatment and Recovery
        7. How Kidneys Work
        8. Take a FREE CLASS on Kidney Disease
      2. Treatments
        1. Dialysis Basics
          1. How Does a Hemodialysis Machine Work
          2. Starting Dialysis
          3. Types of Dialysis Access
          4. Your Care Plan
          5. Dialysis Medications
          6. Monitoring Your Lab Results
        2. Benefits of Home Dialysis
        3. Home Peritoneal Dialysis
          1. What to Expect
          2. Getting Prepared
          3. PD Access
          4. PD Training
          5. PD Monitoring
          6. Your Care Team
        4. Home Hemodialysis
          1. What to Expect
          2. Getting Prepared
          3. HD Training
          4. HD Monitoring
          5. Your Care Team
        5. Sign up to Talk to a Home Dialysis Expert
        6. In-Center Hemodialysis
          1. In-Center Treatment Options
          2. What to Expect
          3. Types of Vascular Access for Hemodialysis
          4. Your Care Team
          5. How to Choose a Center
        7. Transplant
          1. Finding a Kidney Donor
          2. Considering Kidney Donation
        8. Insurance & Managing Costs
          1. Understanding Medicare Coverage
          2. Understanding Medicare Advantage
          3. Understanding Employer Plans
        9. Choosing Not to Treat
      3. Life On Dialysis
        1. Your Emotional Health While on Dialysis
          1. Managing Your Emotions
          2. Talking About Dialysis
          3. Intimacy
          4. Body Image and Dialysis
          5. Building Your Dialysis Support Network
        2. Staying Engaged
          1. Tips for Working While on Dialysis
          2. In-Center Activities
          3. Hobbies
        3. Staying Healthy
          1. Managing Your Time on Dialysis
          2. Dialysis & Exercise
          3. Weight Management
          4. Avoiding Infection
          5. Managing Multiple Conditions
          6. Fighting the Flu
        4. Dialysis Travel Services and Information
        5. Tips for Loved Ones
          1. In-Center Hemodialysis
          2. At-Home Hemodialysis
          3. At-Home Peritoneal Dialysis
        6. PatientHub
      4. Recipes & Nutrition
        1. Recipes
        2. Managing Your Diet
          1. Eating Well on a CKD Diet
          2. Eating Well on a Dialysis Diet
          3. Salt and Kidney Disease
          4. Potassium and Kidney Disease
          5. Phosphorus and Kidney Disease
          6. Talking With Your Dietitian
        3. Fluid Management on Dialysis
        4. Dialysis Diet Planning
          1. Kidney-Friendly Shopping
          2. Eating Out
          3. Holiday Diet Tips
          4. A Chef’s Advice | Chef Aaron McCargo on Kidney Friendly Meals
        5. Cookbooks
      5. Thrive Central
        1. CKD
        2. Dialysis
        3. Diet & Nutrition
        4. Stories
        5. Wellness
        6. See All
      1. Home
      2. Thrive Central
      3. Stories
      4. A Military Veteran’s Commitment to Thrive
      Share:

      A Military Veteran’s Commitment to Thrive

      main_image_Joe

      Joe Hullaby knows a lot about staying calm and disciplined during stressful situations. He retired from the US Army in 2000 as Seargent First Class after serving his country for 26 years. Joe’s specialty was refueling Chinook helicopters—a duty he performed while stationed in the combat zones of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. “Some days I wanted to get out of the service and come home. Though every time I went home to visit, I knew I had a job to do and I returned to duty.” Now at 65, Joe still lives by the words his father repeated to him as he was growing up, “if you do something, stick with it.” After the military, Joe went back to school and earned a college degree while working as a security guard. Today, he embraces life with his family and runs a photography business while keeping up with dialysis treatments. Joe’s lifelong sense of commitment is what keeps him focused on what's important.

      A history of medical conditions and a new diagnosis

      Joe was diagnosed with high blood pressure while serving in the military and it began to affect his kidney function. Shortly after he left the military, he learned he had diabetes. The combination of conditions further affected his kidneys and Joe was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. True to his nature, Joe asked his doctor questions and did his best to manage his health. Eventually, his kidneys could no longer function and Joe was diagnosed with kidney failure.

      Kidney failure diagnosis and big decisions

      In 2018, Joe’s doctor told him he needed to start dialysis. With the true grit of a vet, Joe approached the news with determination. “I knew I wanted to keep living and I was determined to find the best method for me to continue to enjoy my life and family.” Joe chose home peritoneal dialysis (PD) so he could treat on his own schedule. “I set up my machine at 7 p.m., get on it at 10 p.m. and go to sleep. By 7 a.m. I unhook it and I go about my day,” Joe said. 

      Joe credits his wife, 4 sons, 4 grandsons, his doctor and a supportive care team for helping him stay consistent with his home dialysis schedule. He hasn’t missed a single treatment in the past year—even while traveling. “I pretty much do anything I want,” Joe shared. “I still own a local photography business—and I am always there for my clients to capture the special moments.”

      Taking another health challenge in stride

      Two months after Joe began his dialysis treatments, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Facing cancer meant adding a whole new type of treatment to his schedule, which made Joe especially grateful for the flexibility of home dialysis. PD allowed him to travel to his cancer treatment clinic for 7 rounds of radiation while continuing on dialysis—and, happily, Joe is now in remission from cancer. He hopes to become a candidate for a kidney transplant in the future, though he knows he has a wait ahead of him. He said, “I feel so good that I could still be on home dialysis for 20 more years if I have to be. I’m that committed to my health.”

      Belief in the power of positivity and discipline

      Joe wants people who are considering home dialysis to know that they can do it. “If you stay healthy and eat right and are surrounded by a strong support system, you’ll do great,” he said. Making it your duty to protect your health also helps. “My military background helped me to stay on course no matter what new curve came my way.” Spoken like a true veteran.


       November 2019

      SHARE YOUR THRIVE ON STORY

      We want to hear from you if you’re living with kidney disease and thriving—or if you’re caring for someone who is. Your experience can help inspire and empower others.

      SHARE YOUR STORY

      See more stories


      Chris Greene's dialysis story

      Meet Chris

      Can people on dialysis travel? Avid hiker and camper Chris Greene's story leaves you with a resounding yes. While Chris’ diagnosis came out...

      Watch Now
      donate-life-mainicon-tile

      What to Know About Becoming a Kidney Transplant Donor

      Donating a kidney is one of the kindest things you can do for someone. While a kidney transplant may not last a lifetime...

      Read more
      Sam Trevino's dialysis story

      Meet Sam

      Sam was a 19-year-old college soccer star when he was diagnosed with kidney failure and told he needed dialysis. At the time, he felt he’d lost all control...

      Watch Now
      Back to Top
      1. About Us
      2. Español
      1. FAQ
      2. Resource Center
      3. Contact Us
      4. Glossary
      5. Media
      6. Careers
      1. Website Privacy Policy
      2. Terms of Use
      3. Site Map
      4. HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
      5. FreseniusKidneyCare.com Web Accessibility Statement
      6. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Data
      7. Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information
      • facebook
      • youtube
      • twitter
      • pinterest
      © 2016-2022 Fresenius Medical Care. All Rights Reserved.