A New Mission: Thriving On Home Dialysis

Phillip Fleming served his country as an active-duty soldier. It was more than a job — it was his identity and purpose. When kidney disease meant he could no longer continue his military career, he wanted to find another way to help people. That's when he decided to become a social worker.

Phil enrolled in Pacific Lutheran University to start his master's degree. The question was how to make dialysis work around a full class schedule. The answer was home hemodialysis.

First, he needed home dialysis training. Phil is blind in his left eye. Joni Shneider, his home therapy nurse, made sure that wasn't an obstacle. She worked with Phil and his doctor to find an alternative method so he could safely and confidently manage his own treatment. "He was graduated and home that week," says Joni, proudly.

The flexibility and freedom of treating at home made all the difference. Phil was able to attend classes, study, and make steady progress toward his degree. "I pretty much choose when I want to dialyze," says Phil.

Phil will be the first to tell you he didn't do it alone. His wife is his care partner. His son helps carry boxes of supplies to his treatment area. And Maya, his emotional support dog, is right there beside him keeping him company during dialysis. "The whole family's involved," he says proudly.