Dialysis is the chance to live the life you want when your kidneys stop working. My name is Andrés Falco. I've spent nine years on dialysis. Like many patients, I thought the goal was simple: Get through the treatment. Go home. Come back two days later and do it again. For a long time, I measured a successful session by one thing: Leaving the clinic. Today, I see dialysis very differently. Dialysis is not about surviving four hours connected to a machine. I see it as recovering well enough to...

My name is Andrés Falco. And this is probably one of the most honest things I can say about dialysis: I didn’t return to dialysis after my first transplant because I was unlucky. I returned because I had a very bad lifestyle. At the time, it felt like punishment. Today I understand it became the process that truly taught me how to live. I want to tell you how. When I returned to dialysis, I was angry at myself. I felt guilt. I felt frustration. I felt like that place wasn’t meant for me. I...

KidneySPA Dialysis Centers My name is Andrés Falco. I live with Chronic Kidney Disease, and over the years I’ve visited and experienced dialysis clinics in different countries. That global perspective — combined with what I’ve learned navigating the U.S. healthcare system — is why I’m writing this article. Because when patients in Miami or anywhere in Florida approach dialysis, one key question is often left unclear: Can I choose where I receive dialysis? In many situations, the answer is yes...