Dialysis offered at Madera Community Hospital
Tami Jo Nix/The Madera Tribune In the MCH dialysis clinic from left, its first patient Aurelio Robles-Muniz, with Robert Salazar, patient care technician, and Joanabeth Stoebe, RN, with the dialysis machines. Muniz takes dialysis three times a week.
The ability to provide dialysis services has been added at Madera Community Hospital.
“In the era we are living in, many people have reduced kidney function because of the food we eat,” said nephrologist Sheikh M. Masood, MD, of Madera.
One of the advantages of using the dialysis center at MCH is access to the hospital pharmacy, he said.
“Many people undergoing dialysis become nauseated and need medicine such as Compazine,” Masood said.
He is the only full-time nephrologist with a practice in Madera, he said.
“The population of Madera can now be better served through the convenience of an in-patient dialysis clinic,” he said. “Our (over-all) hospital service will improve because we can keep the business in Madera.”
When the dialysis center opened July 5 its first patient was 83-year-old Aurelio Robles-Muniz. Through an interpreter Muniz expressed his gratitude towards MCH clinic.
“I am happy Madera Community Hospital is doing dialysis now. In the past I had to go to Fresno. I have been a Madera resident for 16 years.”
Muniz, who suffers from both high blood pressure and diabetes, has been on dialysis for seven years. He has treatment every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, he said.
“All the nurses and staff have been great. They are very attentive and want me to feel better soon,” he said.
“It is exciting to be the first patient, and I want to thank everyone from doctors, nurses and staff for all that they do.”
His daughter is the one who drove him to Fresno for his treatment.
“I am very pleased with having dialysis services offered at MCH,” said Ana Soto. “In the past when my father got sick we bypassed MCH because dialysis wasn’t offered here and they would have to go to a Fresno hospital while getting treated for another illness”.
She appreciates the services now being offered by MCH and said that would save her a lot of trips to Fresno.
The hospital is equipped to provide dialysis to four patients at a time, two in the emergency room and two in the clinic.
Muniz and his wife, Conception Robles, have been married for 52 years. They have eight children, 35 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
