Jennifer Matthews: Teaching fourth grade, and tutoring at home, is a full-time job for Chris Dowling. But that, along with spending 12 hours in the hospital each week, was a job she hadn't bargained for.
Chris Dowling: I would get home, and I was exhausted, and I would just have something for dinner and go to bed..
Jennifer Matthews: Chris has kidney failure and relies on cleaning out her blood through dialysis. Now she's getting her life back, thanks to a device and a little help from her dialysis partner. Six days a week, this mom of one her students helps her do dialysis at home.
Chris Dowling: That's when you know you are blessed. I mean, it is incredible when somebody offers their time to make your life better.
Jennifer Matthews: NxStage is the first at-home dialysis system that's portable, so patients can take it anywhere. Doctor Michael Kraus says it's also better because cleaning out toxins daily improves their health.
Michael Kraus: Without a doubt, this is the most exciting change that I have seen, and to see these patients get better do better, live normal lives, changes your life.
Jennifer Matthews: It's changing Chris's life too, even though she's only been on it for a few weeks.
Chris Dowling: You feel just so much better, and when you are done with dialysis, you are ready to do other things,
Jennifer Matthews: Like putting energy into teaching. And until she can get a transplant this is an after-school activity she will gladly do. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.
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