Memorial Day

Dialysis doesn't take any holidays off except Christmas. We had our family get-together at Joe and Jessica's yesterday. We got a family photo which you can view in the "grandchildren" section. Dialysis went great today. Since I have quit using clamps I have not bled one time after dialysis! In fact, the site is usually ready to go after five minutes. After 5 minutes I take off any pressure, after 10 minutes I take off the tape and cotton ball. Then I watch it for another 5 minutes, put a bandaid over it and I'm good to go! And the bandaids stay clean! Why oh why don't they educate the nurses and patients in the possibility of alternative techniques?

Another weekend and I'm looking forward to it. I had another near perfect day at dialysis. They have made an appt. for me with Dr. Martin to get the catheter out. I had hoped to get it out next Wed. but had to settle for the following Wed. It sometimes feels like it is pressing against something. I wonder if one has ever punctured anything? Oh well. I must exercise patience but I DON'T WANT TO!

Another Monday come and gone. And would you believe it? Not one single iota of problems today. Everything went smooth as silk. I don't remember if I've posted it or not about me not using clamps any more. That whole first year, I was clamped and taped and bled, and with no avail. After deciding I didn't have much to lose, I started trying other stuff. Holding the site til the bleeding stopped and then watched carefully as I released the pressure to make sure it didn't start again. It did just fine. At first I was peeling the tape off as soon as I got home. Then it was using minimal taping. Now I leave with a bandaid. It has never started bleeding since I've been doing this, but I do watch it pretty carefully just so it doesn't decide to mess me up. I just think my veins and tissues are loose and can roll around a lot, but to do so is easy to dislodge any healing clot that has formed there. I will be so glad when I get this catheter out.

~Later

Friday again

Here another weekend faces me, another week gone. Had to be stuck three times today. Couldn't get the top needle to work, even after jabbing it around to try and get it to work. I'm wondering about the little dr. that makes rounds. It's probably just me, but he's lacking in something. It could be a bedside manner. I went to Nashville to have the new access put in. I figured he was the one to release me to use it. But, this little dr. was just going to start using it himself because he thought it sounded okay. He was talking to the nurse more than me and I couldn't hear it all, but asked the nurse and she told me. I told her that when I had the other one done, the insurance people told me that I had to be released by the surgeon. She said if he asked about it I could just tell him why I had refused to use it. No problem. Today, he came in and saw I was using the new access and was all excited. Asked how long I'd been using it and I said 2 weeks. Welllll......., let's get this catheter out then. While I'm stuttering around, the nurse told him I'd been having trouble with the access. So that deterred him. It's not that I don't think he's qualified. He's basically very nice. He just seems to think I don't need to be consulted about what he's going to do. What should I do?

Too Many Choices

My days just seem to run together. Going to dialysis every other day is like suspended animation. Church-dialysis-Tues.-dialysis-church-Thurs.-dialysis-Fri.-Sat.-church-Sun.-dialysis-repeat, repeat, repeat!

Today didn't go so well. There was pain at the site just about the whole time. Finally it blew (infiltrated). I felt something on my arm and looked down to discover it was bleeding. Although I had an hour left on my time, they opted to take me off. Fortunately I did not have much excess fluid to begin with and I was almost at my dry weight already. It made a little knot and bruised some more. I can't help but be a little discouraged. I had hoped the new fistula was going to be the answer to the problems I've had. Looks like problems are just a fact whatever I do. This new arm sure is tender and more sensitive than my left one ever was. ouchie!

Any and all prayers gratefully accepted.

Saturday

Yesterday I had a glitch at dialysis. The needle was sticking the back side of the vein and hurting. It's kind of knotty where it was and sore. And I was sore all over (every joint) from my previous day of galavanting and shopping (woo whoooo!), so it was a little rough lying there. I tried lying pretty far back but couldn't find a good place to lay. Toward the end I asked Mark how much time I had left and was told 16 minutes. I said, I've got to get up. He finished what he was doing and then came over and seemed to be getting ready to take me off. I said, what are you doing? "Taking you off." "But, my time isn't up." You're getting the gist of it here. He thought I was wanting off, and I was just wanting to sit up! LOL I told him that when I wanted to get off early he could know that something serious was wrong. He thought it unusual for me, but they never know. Some people do get off early sometimes. They had filled out my form and everything. They have to do that if you don't complete your treatment. Liability and such.

I have all kinds of little dark veins showing up on the inside of my arm. I told Mark yesterday that my arm looks like a Texas roadmap. He showed me his arm and said you could see his, too, (but they aren't as prominent). So I showed him mine again and said, yeah, but you don't have an interstate. (the scar) He admitted that no, he didn't have an interstate.

~Later

Thursday

Here I am again! Just got home from dialysis. I have used my new fistula twice this week and so far everything is fine. No bleeding, and hardly any bruising at all. Just achy and sore from laying there, and after the trip to the dr. yesterday which always makes me sore just riding. When they sat me up my heart did the little flutter thing but has quit very quickly. Yesterday it lasted until the late afternoon. And always, fatigue. I went in at 7:00 this morning and got through early. They call me when they have a chair available early since I live so close. I'm very thankful that the center is so close to our home. When I left, a lady who was through at twenty minutes til 10:00 was still waiting for her public transportation at 11:15, and she has a very long ride to another county to get home. That's it for today. I think I see a nap in my near future. ~Later

Home Again

I'm home from my first fistula use in my right arm. All went well. I used no clamps but applied pressure myself as I did in the left arm. And minimal taping. So far, so good. Thanks for any prayers you've sent my way. Now I have to learn just how much I can use my right arm and how soon after treatment. I have graduation announcements that I need to finish this afternoon. Wonder if my dear hubby would like to learn to use the corner punch??

I did have some minor heart palpitations during treatment, but I don't know if that was because I didn't eat breakfast this morning, if I was nervous (didn't think so), or if using the fistula with the catheter still in place, or just what. I did tell the nurse and she didn't get excited about it, so I'm taking a wait and see next time attitude.

~Later

Monday

Monday's are not my favorite day, but I guess it's as good a day as any to start the week. LOL I start using my new fistula today. I am not looking forward to it but I'm resolved. I will use my numbing cream until I'm comfortable with it again. Before I started using the perma-cath I was comfortable with the needles and didn't use anything. That was six-seven weeks ago. I'm sure it's like riding a bicycle. You just get back on. Prayers are appreciated. ~Later

Dr. Appt.

Wednesday I had my 6 week checkup appt. with the vascular surgeon who did my second fistula. He was pleased with the access and said it was ready to use. They will use it a couple of weeks to make sure everything is okay, and then I can call for an appt. and he will remove my perma-cath. I will be glad to be rid of that thing!

I asked the doctor if he would explain to me exactly what he did to my arm. And he did. There is a large vein that runs underneath the arm. He exposed the vein and then retunneled it (I don't have the details of this) up and along the top of the arm and then connected it to an artery near the inside of the elbow. I therefore have a long access area. A nurse at the clinic was impressed with it. I think the surgeon did a good job.

I told them at the clinic today that they could start sticking me again on Monday. I needed to continue my work on Sara's graduation invitations today, so I didn't want to start it today. That's it for today. ~Later