At The Bays, we’re proud to support patients like Lynette Florance with compassionate, local care that fits into their everyday life.
Lynette, now 78, has been living with type 2 diabetes since the mid-1990s. Over time, her kidney function declined without her realising how serious it had become.
“Before I knew it, I had stage 3 kidney failure,” Lynette says. “I didn’t realise it was getting that low.”
She’s now been receiving dialysis treatment for two and a half years – first at Frankston Hospital, and now with us at The Bays. Living in Somerville, she appreciates how close and convenient our Dialysis Unit is.
“It’s good that it’s so local. I usually drive myself,” she says.
Lynette comes in three afternoons a week, spending around four hours on the machine each session. “This is just my life now,” she says. “No good complaining about it.” She fills the time by reading her Kindle and watching TV, and has found ways to keep a sense of freedom and travel in her life.
“A lot of people don’t understand how involved dialysis is. You can’t just go away on holidays. But I’ve used the Big Red Kidney Bus – I think that’s fantastic. It goes to different caravan parks around Victoria and we travel to wherever it’s going. I’ve also had dialysis in Bathurst Hospital. As long as there’s a chair available, you can plan a trip.”
When asked about her care at The Bays, Lynette is quick to praise our nursing team:
“The staff here are terrific. The nursing staff are incredibly caring and you feel like more than a patient – it’s very personalised care.”
“I think any dialysis patient would feel the same way. The Bays has made a tough journey more manageable, and I’m grateful to have them by my side.”
We’re proud to be part of Lynette’s journey – and to continue providing the kind of thoughtful, connected care that makes a difference in our patients’ lives.