Objective:

to describe the subject's personal experience of their heart disease and the implications of peritoneal dialysis on their quality of life, while identifying future expectations.

Methods:

A semi-structured interview based on a biographic narrative was conducted, from which information was compiled and a content analysis was performed.

Results:

The narrative revealed six thematic categories: background; one-way journey; fracture: a before and after; the bitter side of the disease; transformative therapy; and reflexion and future.

Conclusions:

Peritoneal dialysis was presented as a hope-inspiring experience that enabled the subject to recover lost quality of life, leading to a better functional condition of the heart and fewer hospital admissions.