Mr. P, a member of the Olympic Family from Africa, has been on hemodialysis for nine years due to chronic kidney failure. Before coming to China, his biggest concern was how to continue his dialysis treatment during the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. After thorough preparations, the PUMCH medical team successfully met Mr. P’s need for renal replacement therapy during his stay in China and achieved a seamless transition to hemodialysis during his travel. Before he left China, Mr. P was very grateful to the medical team: “You cannot find better medical staff anywhere in the world!”

Two months before the opening of the Winter Olympic Games, the IOC entrusted PUMCH with the task of maintaining Mr. P’s hemodialysis during his stay in Beijing, for which the Winter Olympic Ward worked closely with the nephrology team to make thorough preparations.

In terms of devices and facilities, according to the epidemic prevention and control requirements, PUMCH set up special hemodialysis machines, water purification systems, and corresponding pipelines for patients in the newly re-purposed Winter Olympics Ward. In terms of personnel, a full-time hemodialysis nurse, Zhou Yue, was transferred to the Winter Olympics Ward, and other medical and nursing staff in the ward also received rigorous professional training in hemodialysis in advance in between their original work assignments. Dr. Chen Gang, the Olympic Venue Medical Officer from the Department of Nephrology, contacted the patient in advance and received the patient’s parameters during previous regular dialysis.

After everything was ready, the ward, under the personal supervision of Director Chen Limeng of the Department of Nephrology, organized the first whole-process drill for receiving dialysis patients. After the drill, the PUMCH team made other careful and detailed arrangements, such as keeping patients warm during dressing, reducing machine noise, and serving meals in the ward, putting “heart-warming medical care” on full display.

The day after his arrival, after a short rest, Mr. P came to the PUMCH Winter Olympic Ward for his first hemodialysis. The doctors inquired Mr. P about his medical history in detail, verified his usual dialysis status and medications in use, and performed laboratory tests for him. Just when the patient finished preparations such as dressing, weighing, and measuring blood pressure, Dr. Zheng Ke and Dr. Xia Peng of the Department of Nephrology also made a dialysis plan for the patient just in time after receiving his relevant information via remote communication. After successfully completing the first hemodialysis, Dr. Chen Gang and Mr. P together developed a personalized dialysis schedule according to Mr. P’s work schedule. The professionalism and efficiency of the PUMCH team made a great first impression on Mr. P.

Thanks to the detailed inquiry, the PUMCH team learned that Mr. P’s blood pressure would drop intermittently during his previous regular dialysis; thus, the medical staff monitored Mr. P’s blood pressure closely. Halfway through his fifth hemodialysis treatment, Mr. P developed dizziness, sweating, irritability, and other uncomfortable symptoms, and his systolic blood pressure dropped to less than 100 mmHg at that time. The medical staff immediately activated the emergency response plan and stabilized Mr. P’s blood pressure through a series of operations such as suspending ultrafiltration and pushing glucose 50%, and his symptoms were relieved half an hour later. During the subsequent dialysis sessions, the medical team, based on previous experience, further optimized the dialysis protocol, and Mr. P did not develop hypotension again.

Besides dialysis, the PUMCH team provided comprehensive guidance on diet, and other specific aspects of life for Mr. P. As his diet in China was very different from his usual diet, there were fluctuations in weight and electrolytes. After learning more about his diet, the medical team gave him professional advice to reduce the intake of soups and red meat and avoid fruits such as grapefruit and bananas, which are rich in potassium ions. During Mr. P’s 7th dialysis, considering the snowstorm that happened to occur that day and his use of anticoagulants during dialysis, the medical station and the Winter Olympic Ward both specifically reminded the driver about parking locations when he came and left and repeatedly instructed Mr. P to avoid walking on the snow, walk slowly and carefully to prevent falls. As he left the ward, Mr. P joked in the elevator: “You guys are protecting me like a baby!”

During the two dialysis sessions, the medical staff, Mr. P, and his entourage members, via live TV, witnessed Chinese athletes Eileen Gu and Su Yiming win gold medals in the Winter Olympics. Mr. P, along with the medical team, could not help but burst into cheers after the Chinese skiers finished their moves and landed successfully.

Before his imminent trip back to his home country after completing his final dialysis, Mr. P expressed his sincerest gratitude to the medical team with a heartfelt letter of thanks which reads as follows:

“The service and attitude of all the medical staff have been excellent and beyond the normal call of duty. Please continue to uphold the very high standard of medical care and service. It has been a pleasure to have been treated at this excellent hospital. You cannot find better medical staff anywhere in the world.”

Written by Zhou Yue, Shi Chuan, Zhang Tian and Xu Kaifeng from the Winter Olympic Ward

Picture courtesy of the Winter Olympic Ward

Translator: Liu Haiyan

Editor: Chen Gang and Wang Yao