Well, would you believe it? Not one pain today. Not one drop today. What is the deal with this thing??? Whatever it is, today you can color me thankful!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
A Good Day
Well, would you believe it? Not one pain today. Not one drop today. What is the deal with this thing??? Whatever it is, today you can color me thankful!
Monday, February 25, 2008
A Day of All Days! (PG-13 ....or maybe R for some, and you KNOW who you are.)
What a day I had today! Where do I begin? First of all, It's 2:03 PM and I just got home. That will say something to those who know. I'm usually home about 1:00. I don't remember if I've told you about them having some trouble getting the upper needle in the vein because of scar tissue. They can feel the vein, and think it's right there, but when they go in, no success. The same today. And the access kept . . . uhhhhhh. . . leaking. And then hurting. Finally, with about an hour left on my time, we decided to re-stick me. So I had three needles in my arm. I didn't know they would keep them all in to the end, until today. It finally did okay until time to come off. More bleeding. I bet they had to change pads 10-12 times throughout the whole process. Anyway, I'm home with three bandaids. Hoorah! It had to be really trying for the nurses, especially since state inspectors walked in today!!! Rats! But, they performed with their usual excellent care.
Sigh! ~Later
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Brittle Nails
One of the things I've noticed the most since being on dialysis is the health of my fingernails. I've always had VERY hard nails and had no problem growing nice nails. But since the start of dialysis they have progressively gotten brittle, chipped, flaked, and in all around bad condition. I've asked everyone I know to ask and the only inkling of information was that they would check my thyroid function. I'm not sure what that has to do with the nails, but I finally came across a PKD site that confirmed my suspicions that it is related to the PKD.
I would also like to know what to do about the loss of my hair. As with my nails, I've always had very thick, healthy hair, but it is getting very thin in front and top. Would appreciate any info anyone has concerning this.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Some good, some bad
Today marks about two weeks since I've been holding my access after dialysis. I did bleed some today, but not AFTER dialysis. It was during dialysis after I repositioned myself in the chair and used the wrong arm. Although the site did hurt today and I expected it to possibly bleed. During dialysis my blood pressure dropped and I felt like I might pass out. They adjusted the machine and we got okay though. Sigh!
~Later
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Another good day!
Today was another non-bleeding day at dialysis, except for when the nurse forgot to shut off the clip before starting me on the machine. :) They took labs today, several vials. I'm afraid that I will have to go back to 3 hours as the labs have not stayed steady. And I think I'm gaining weight. I need to cut back. But, they tell me I must eat to keep my albumin up. I've just been trying to follow directions. Yeah, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
~Later
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
My computer completely died about a month ago and I am finally back in cyberspace. Hoorah! Does anyone remember me? I feel totally alienated! I have forgotten all my passwords, also! Rats
Some interesting things have been going on at dialysis! I've had trouble with bleeding afterwards, pain during and after, and other such wonderful events. The neph finally sent me to have a venous whatever to map out my access to see if stenosis was present (narrowing of the artery). The test was negative. After the test a nurse applied pressure, but it was oh, so gentle, and felt great. I talked with a nurse at the next dialysis session who was filling in for one of the regulars. She said that some professionals felt that the clamps were not good for you. Oh, really?! No one had ever mentioned that to me! So I've started experimenting and these are my results. Holding the sites myself with minimal pressure, for a minimal amount of time works for me! It works better if I take one needle out and hold it for about 5 min. before taking the second one out. I gently remove the pressure and watch it intently, in case of bleeding. So far, so good.
Today my favorite nurse was there. (All the nurses are great!) His technique just works best for me - one piece of tape and one bandaid per needle during dialysis. I told him I wanted to leave with just bandaids today instead of lots of tape, gauze and cotton balls. And that is exactly what I did. And it worked! I usually come home and take all the tape off and apply bandaids. I live very close to the clinic so there isn't that much extra time leaving the tape on. Some are of the opinion that the more tape and more pressure, the better it works. But, I've never been a partaker of "the norm." I think the problem is because my arms are very, how do I put this delicately, uhhhhh....., flabby. The veins tend to roll, and any pressure tends to undo what it has done.
So, I would suggest for anyone who is experiencing problems to not be afraid to try and experiment with new ideas after exhausting the "norm". I have been on dialysis since May 7, 2007, almost a year. I've asked every analytical question I could think of to try and decide what was going on. I listened to the professionals, and I added my thoughts. And now it is paying off. I hope it is a permanent good thing. If not, I'm still taking it one day at a time.
~Later
Some interesting things have been going on at dialysis! I've had trouble with bleeding afterwards, pain during and after, and other such wonderful events. The neph finally sent me to have a venous whatever to map out my access to see if stenosis was present (narrowing of the artery). The test was negative. After the test a nurse applied pressure, but it was oh, so gentle, and felt great. I talked with a nurse at the next dialysis session who was filling in for one of the regulars. She said that some professionals felt that the clamps were not good for you. Oh, really?! No one had ever mentioned that to me! So I've started experimenting and these are my results. Holding the sites myself with minimal pressure, for a minimal amount of time works for me! It works better if I take one needle out and hold it for about 5 min. before taking the second one out. I gently remove the pressure and watch it intently, in case of bleeding. So far, so good.
Today my favorite nurse was there. (All the nurses are great!) His technique just works best for me - one piece of tape and one bandaid per needle during dialysis. I told him I wanted to leave with just bandaids today instead of lots of tape, gauze and cotton balls. And that is exactly what I did. And it worked! I usually come home and take all the tape off and apply bandaids. I live very close to the clinic so there isn't that much extra time leaving the tape on. Some are of the opinion that the more tape and more pressure, the better it works. But, I've never been a partaker of "the norm." I think the problem is because my arms are very, how do I put this delicately, uhhhhh....., flabby. The veins tend to roll, and any pressure tends to undo what it has done.
So, I would suggest for anyone who is experiencing problems to not be afraid to try and experiment with new ideas after exhausting the "norm". I have been on dialysis since May 7, 2007, almost a year. I've asked every analytical question I could think of to try and decide what was going on. I listened to the professionals, and I added my thoughts. And now it is paying off. I hope it is a permanent good thing. If not, I'm still taking it one day at a time.
~Later
Thursday's Post
THIS POST AND THE ONE BEFORE WILL BE OUT OF SYNC. THE REASON IS THAT A COMMENT WAS POSTED (SPAM) THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS BLOG'S TOPIC, NEITHER WAS IT POSTED BY ANYONE I KNEW. THE ONLY WAY I COULD REMOVE IT WAS TO DELETE THE WHOLE POST. I'M SORRY FOR ANY CONFUSION THIS MAY CAUSE. I HOPE YOU CAN STILL UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IN THE INFORMATION.
This first illustration (BELOW)shows the catherter which is a temporary solution to an emergency situation.
The arm access is an AV fistula. An AV fistula is the gold standard for vascular access for hemodialysis and is associated with the lowest failure and complication rates when compared with other forms of vascular access.
An AV fistula requires advance planning because a fistula takes a while after surgery to develop But a properly formed fistula is less likely than other kinds of vascular accesses to form clots or become infected. Also, fistulas tend to last many years, longer than any other kind of vascular access.
A surgeon creates an AV fistula by connecting an artery directly to a vein, usually in the forearm. Connecting the artery to the vein causes more blood to flow into the vein. As a result, the vein grows larger and stronger, making repeated insertions for hemodialysis treatments easier.
Arteriovenous Graft
If you have small veins that won't develop properly into a fistula, you can get a vascular access that uses a synthetic tube implanted under the skin in your arm. The tube becomes an artificial vein that can be used repeatedly for needle placement and blood access during hemodialysis. A graft doesn't need to develop as a fistula does, so it can be used sooner after placement, often within 2 or 3 weeks.
Compared with fistulas, grafts tend to have more problems with clotting or infection and need replacement sooner, but a well-cared-for graft can last for several years.
There are other options that I won't explore here. There are plenty of sites to find all you might want to know. I hope this might clear up any confusion you might have about dialysis.
This first illustration (BELOW)shows the catherter which is a temporary solution to an emergency situation.
The arm access is an AV fistula. An AV fistula is the gold standard for vascular access for hemodialysis and is associated with the lowest failure and complication rates when compared with other forms of vascular access.
An AV fistula requires advance planning because a fistula takes a while after surgery to develop But a properly formed fistula is less likely than other kinds of vascular accesses to form clots or become infected. Also, fistulas tend to last many years, longer than any other kind of vascular access.
A surgeon creates an AV fistula by connecting an artery directly to a vein, usually in the forearm. Connecting the artery to the vein causes more blood to flow into the vein. As a result, the vein grows larger and stronger, making repeated insertions for hemodialysis treatments easier.
Arteriovenous Graft
If you have small veins that won't develop properly into a fistula, you can get a vascular access that uses a synthetic tube implanted under the skin in your arm. The tube becomes an artificial vein that can be used repeatedly for needle placement and blood access during hemodialysis. A graft doesn't need to develop as a fistula does, so it can be used sooner after placement, often within 2 or 3 weeks.
Compared with fistulas, grafts tend to have more problems with clotting or infection and need replacement sooner, but a well-cared-for graft can last for several years.
There are other options that I won't explore here. There are plenty of sites to find all you might want to know. I hope this might clear up any confusion you might have about dialysis.
Friday, February 15, 2008
A little education..............
A catheter access
This first illustration shows the catherter which is a temporary solution to an emergency situation.
The AV fistula access
The arm access is an AV fistula. An AV fistula is the gold standard for vascular access for hemodialysis and is associated with the lowest failure and complication rates when compared with other forms of vascular access.
I have been amazed at the lack of information by the general public about dialysis. True, I am extra curious about things and never cease to love learning. I like to know what things are and how things work and why. True, there are some things that I care absolutely nothing about, like most politics or the price of eggs in China. But things that are an everyday part of life, I usually find very interesting, at least to the degree that I have a pretty good understanding of it.
I have yet to come across anyone who know anything about dialysis. Most people associate dialysis with the external access that is used in emergency situations. So, here is my feeble attempt at educating the world, as if the entire world will pass through the portals of my humble blog.
The above picture is the kind of access I have except that it is in my upper arm. It is called an AV fistula. A wealth of clinical evidence confirms that the arteriovenous (AV) fistula is the safest and most effective form of vascular access in hemodialysis. Yet nationwide, only 30% of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receive a fistula as their permanent access for hemodialysis. “A fistula is most commonly created using the radial artery and vein, though it can also be created in the upper arm using the brachial artery.
An AV fistula requires advance planning because a fistula takes a while after surgery to develop But a properly formed fistula is less likely than other kinds of vascular accesses to form clots or become infected. Also, fistulas tend to last many years, longer than any other kind of vascular access.
A surgeon creates an AV fistula by connecting an artery directly to a vein, usually in the forearm. Connecting the artery to the vein causes more blood to flow into the vein. As a result, the vein grows larger and stronger, making repeated insertions for hemodialysis treatments easier.
Arteriovenous Graft
If you have small veins that won't develop properly into a fistula, you can get a vascular access that uses a synthetic tube implanted under the skin in your arm. The tube becomes an artificial vein that can be used repeatedly for needle placement and blood access during hemodialysis. A graft doesn't need to develop as a fistula does, so it can be used sooner after placement, often within 2 or 3 weeks.
Compared with fistulas, grafts tend to have more problems with clotting or infection and need replacement sooner, but a well-cared-for graft can last for several years.
There are other options that I won't explore here. There are plenty of sites to find all you might want to know. I hope this might clear up any confusion you might have about dialysis.
This first illustration shows the catherter which is a temporary solution to an emergency situation.
The AV fistula access
The arm access is an AV fistula. An AV fistula is the gold standard for vascular access for hemodialysis and is associated with the lowest failure and complication rates when compared with other forms of vascular access.
I have been amazed at the lack of information by the general public about dialysis. True, I am extra curious about things and never cease to love learning. I like to know what things are and how things work and why. True, there are some things that I care absolutely nothing about, like most politics or the price of eggs in China. But things that are an everyday part of life, I usually find very interesting, at least to the degree that I have a pretty good understanding of it.
I have yet to come across anyone who know anything about dialysis. Most people associate dialysis with the external access that is used in emergency situations. So, here is my feeble attempt at educating the world, as if the entire world will pass through the portals of my humble blog.
The above picture is the kind of access I have except that it is in my upper arm. It is called an AV fistula. A wealth of clinical evidence confirms that the arteriovenous (AV) fistula is the safest and most effective form of vascular access in hemodialysis. Yet nationwide, only 30% of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receive a fistula as their permanent access for hemodialysis. “A fistula is most commonly created using the radial artery and vein, though it can also be created in the upper arm using the brachial artery.
An AV fistula requires advance planning because a fistula takes a while after surgery to develop But a properly formed fistula is less likely than other kinds of vascular accesses to form clots or become infected. Also, fistulas tend to last many years, longer than any other kind of vascular access.
A surgeon creates an AV fistula by connecting an artery directly to a vein, usually in the forearm. Connecting the artery to the vein causes more blood to flow into the vein. As a result, the vein grows larger and stronger, making repeated insertions for hemodialysis treatments easier.
Arteriovenous Graft
If you have small veins that won't develop properly into a fistula, you can get a vascular access that uses a synthetic tube implanted under the skin in your arm. The tube becomes an artificial vein that can be used repeatedly for needle placement and blood access during hemodialysis. A graft doesn't need to develop as a fistula does, so it can be used sooner after placement, often within 2 or 3 weeks.
Compared with fistulas, grafts tend to have more problems with clotting or infection and need replacement sooner, but a well-cared-for graft can last for several years.
There are other options that I won't explore here. There are plenty of sites to find all you might want to know. I hope this might clear up any confusion you might have about dialysis.
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