James's story
How a Pinnie advocate found transportation resources, fixed the schedule, and brought James back to every session.
The trip to dialysis used to be the hardest part. Now it is the easiest.
The story
The situation
James is 67, a retired MARTA bus driver, lives alone in southwest Atlanta. He has stage 5 chronic kidney disease and started dialysis three days a week in February. The dialysis center is a forty-minute drive that James cannot make himself. Transportation costs were adding up and he started skipping sessions. He told his nephrologist he was fine. He was not fine.
How Pinnie stepped in
James reached Pinnie through a flyer at the dialysis center. His advocate Anthony called the next morning. Anthony researched community transportation programs and local resources to reduce the cost of getting to dialysis. He scheduled the nephrology appointments to land on non-dialysis days so the round trips stacked logically. He arranged for labs to be drawn at the dialysis center when possible. He walked James through fistula care and helped him understand the dietary restrictions. When James mentioned his fistula site felt off, Anthony got him a vascular access specialist appointment within two business days.
Where things are now
James has not missed a dialysis session in seven months. He has lost eight pounds of fluid weight. He sleeps better. His daughter calls Anthony directly when she needs an update, and Anthony loops her in without James having to repeat himself.
Names and photos in these stories have been changed to protect patient privacy. The situations, advocate work, and outcomes are composites of real Pinnie cases. Photos are illustrative.
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