I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: twirl on April 09, 2009, 02:00:36 PM

Title: I am not going
Post by: twirl on April 09, 2009, 02:00:36 PM
I have to go get my fistula checked out -
my clinic will not buy those little cotton balls anymore -
they say it is to save money -
so I have started bleeding after treatments -- tons of blood -
techs blamed me -
then they clamped one site and I held the other site and the clamped one bled -
I know it is going to hurt
and I am sick and tired of all this crap
just leave me alone - please
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: paris on April 09, 2009, 02:12:25 PM
I love you Twirl!  Wish I could make things better.   :cuddle;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: okarol on April 09, 2009, 02:26:15 PM

God! How much do cotton balls cost?!?!?!?
Buy a case, I will pay for them!
Jeeeeeeeeeez  :banghead;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: willieandwinnie on April 09, 2009, 02:44:22 PM
twirl, you find the ones you need and by God, I'll but them. What the hell kind of decision is that not to carry cottonballs. Lord, these money making places just piss me off to know end. What about the patients that are paying for all this shit. Oh don't get me started. I love you twirl.  :cuddle;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: thegrammalady on April 09, 2009, 03:07:30 PM
twirl, you know you are loved. what are they using instead of cotton balls?

my standard line is "you do it my way or you don't do it at all". i've also been known to tell reluctant people "you are not allowed to put my life in jeopardy".
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: G-Ma on April 09, 2009, 03:14:12 PM
 :grouphug;  to twirl.............these are not the fluffy cotton balls and are expensive...they are like someone took about a 2 inch sqare of wool, sewed it into a circle and then shrank it...I don't know the name but saw them I believe in Cherokee...they used some on me when I asked about them...said have some patients that want them so I guess the Dr/Clinic orders them...I didn't like them as I'm afraid they will put too much pressure on the fistula and i want my friend around for a long time.  I just take time after they take both needles out and hold the sites and when I feel the pumping subsiding we tape up and I go.  Twirl...have someone show you how to hold the site and just be careful not to let the vein move under your fingers and they can do one at a time, just will take a bit longer.
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: MandaMe1986 on April 09, 2009, 03:17:06 PM
Wow, are you serious they won't buy cotton balls?  I am sure upper management sure saved millions on that deal.  That makes me really mad!  And yes we could all buy them, but you shouldn't have to!  I am so sorry.  I hope you find a way to get his worked out.  :grouphug;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: David13 on April 09, 2009, 03:21:45 PM
I'm so sorry, Twirl. 

When you say "cotton balls" are you meaning the special stuff they put on under the bandage to help stop the bleeding?  Either way, if you need it to stop the bleeding, they are responsible for providing it.

I know that sometimes problems with grafts can develop and lead to increased bleeding after treatment.  It really might be worth your time to get your graft checked to make sure something isn't wrong with it.   :Kit n Stik;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: kitkatz on April 09, 2009, 03:22:34 PM
Hell's Bells girl! I will buy you a case of cotton balls!  Tell the morons to look out we are after them!
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Wattle on April 09, 2009, 04:54:27 PM
 :Kit n Stik; 


Twirl that is ridiculous! Cotton balls can't save them that much money. Morons.    :banghead;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: MIbarra on April 09, 2009, 05:10:29 PM
 :cuddle; Twirl. They are so stupid! Tell them your friends here said buy the stinking cotton balls or we'll all prank call the center for hours on end!

Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: twirl on April 09, 2009, 05:59:38 PM
thanks you are all special to my heart

they fold gauze over once and I have been told by a tech that I am not the only patient with this problem

and the hospital called me today and told me about my appointment -- the first time I knew I had an appointment --- Dialysis did not call me -- the nurse said it will hurt and to be prepared ---

I AM TIRED OF HURTING

the last time they put me in this same misery because they had trouble sticking me was a joke -
the acess doctor told me there was nothing wrong and that they needed to hire people who
can cannulate
and my nep doctor was really upset with Davita - that was a few years ago

but this recent problem coinsided with the white balls disappearing
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: charee on April 09, 2009, 06:00:40 PM
 :grouphug;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Rerun on April 09, 2009, 06:04:13 PM
Can you just bring back the ones you stole?

                   :rofl;

Just kidding!  Dialysis just sucks and that is all that can be said.   :waving;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: twirl on April 09, 2009, 06:07:04 PM
if my arm starts bleeding I am afraid I will drive like Rerun    :rofl;     just joking  :waving;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Chris on April 09, 2009, 06:24:59 PM

God! How much do cotton balls cost?!?!?!?
Buy a case, I will pay for them!
Jeeeeeeeeeez  :banghead;

Maybe they are getting the government price? $250 for 1 toliet seat! :urcrazy;
What is worse is that they blame Twirl for bleeding.

Of course she is going to bleed, you stuck her you idiot!
Hello numbnuts or shall I call yo McFly! Get the fricken cotton balls or gauze to treat paitents correctly instead of blaming them for your pbad penny pinching in the wrong area! :rant;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Sluff on April 09, 2009, 06:33:00 PM
Put me in for a couple of cases Twirl.   :grouphug;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Ang on April 09, 2009, 06:48:42 PM
try  googling  "caldistat",see  what  they  call  it  in  theu.s.


we  use  it  here  in  oz,  very  helpful  when  you  can't  turn  the  blood  off.
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Romona on April 09, 2009, 06:50:10 PM
 :grouphug;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Rerun on April 09, 2009, 07:42:11 PM
if my arm starts bleeding I am afraid I will drive like Rerun    :rofl;     just joking  :waving;


                   :rofl;    >:D
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: G-Ma on April 09, 2009, 07:58:46 PM
my techs take 3 to 4 gauze pads and fold into 1/4, put it on a site with tape and I hold, the same way with the other..I hold both at one time...I think it's the same principle, just not pushing right on the opening....you tell them how you want your site to be handled....    :Kit n Stik;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: kitkatz on April 09, 2009, 08:42:42 PM
Do you want a box of sure seals sent your way?
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: kimcanada on April 10, 2009, 09:54:32 AM
 :grouphug;   Twirl  :grouphug;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: lola on April 10, 2009, 10:32:18 AM
 :Kit n Stik; :Kit n Stik; do they not know clamps are BAD!!!! I'll pay for the cotton balls... :grouphug;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Chris on April 10, 2009, 12:06:14 PM
:Kit n Stik; :Kit n Stik; do they not know clamps are BAD!!!! I'll pay for the cotton balls... :grouphug;

Clamps bad?
The ones my center had were weak and barely used because they usually fell apart after cleaning them a few times. So they just used tape and gauze after you held your spot for a few minutes. At first, I couldn't hold my sites, it was uneasy for me. Over time I was able to hold my spots and didn't need the clamps unnless I was having a hypoglycemic reaction.
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: BigSky on April 10, 2009, 12:14:13 PM
I never heard of using cotton balls to stop bleeding.

Are you talking about gelfoam?
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: jbeany on April 10, 2009, 03:20:06 PM
It's not a cotton ball - it's actually the same material as a 4x4 - but they come shaped in little round balls.  They are very firm.  My center uses them if you have problems getting the pressure in the right place on a folded 4x4.
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Stacy Without An E on April 10, 2009, 09:50:19 PM
Twirl, you have mentioned two blatant reasons why your clinic seems to me to be very poor.

1) "No cotton balls in an effort to save money."

This is one of my biggest problems with for-profit clinics: the patients are not the bottom line, the cash flow is.  Get proper supplies or patients are going to get sick.  And when they do, they're going to SUE THE CLINIC for irresponsible care.  Davita and Fresenius, wise up or you won't have any more of those lavish parties you throw every year.

2) "I bleed and they blame me."

What are you doing, somehow mentally speaking to your blood to spill to spite them?  This comment is rude, ignorant and shouldn't come from the lips of any individual working in Dialysis.  Treatment is physically and emotionally challenging enough without staff members with double digit IQ's to be making comments such as these.

You may have been asked this already, but are there any non-profit clinic's in your area?

Take care Twirl.
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: okarol on April 10, 2009, 11:24:37 PM
twirl get some fake blood and punk them in the style of Julia Child here http://www.hulu.com/watch/3523/saturday-night-live-the-french-chef
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Joe Paul on April 10, 2009, 11:31:14 PM
Twirl, sorry to hear of your bleeding problems. I hope you get what you need to help, hopefully Techs who know what they are doing.
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Sunny on April 11, 2009, 05:10:27 PM
I wish you could be finished with all the unnecessary pain too. Hope they get this cotton ball thing figured out.
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Jess21 on April 12, 2009, 03:28:07 PM

God! How much do cotton balls cost?!?!?!?
Buy a case, I will pay for them!
Jeeeeeeeeeez  :banghead;
Sadly, centers don't buy stuff all the time.  I was the only one at the center who had buttonhole needles.  They bought the needles..but only bought the scab removers once.  When the nurse requested to reorder them several times, he was told they were "too expensive".  so my needles would regularly get clogged by the scabs, causing them to have to use MORE needles, and causing me to get fistulagrams cause I was having clots.  How does THAT save money?!?  P.S.- I go back to my original original center Tuesday!  My first neph is in charge!  :clap;
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: thegrammalady on April 13, 2009, 11:46:23 AM
the gauze pads need to be folded more than once, then they will work just like the balls. in fact that's exactly what the balls are, prefolded guaz pads.
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: Lucinda on April 13, 2009, 10:19:50 PM
Hi Twirl.  We use seaweed pads over here which help with clotting the site.  Then we put the guaze over that.  When you take the guaze off the little patch of seaweed stays there doing its job and then you take if off about three hours later.  Happy to send you some of that over.  xx
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: okarol on April 13, 2009, 10:36:39 PM

Where is twirl? It's been a few days.  ???
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: kitkatz on April 14, 2009, 09:28:25 PM
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=13439.0



For Twirl-Girl update.
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: paddbear0000 on April 14, 2009, 10:29:14 PM
What happened to my post???
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: okarol on April 14, 2009, 10:47:27 PM
What happened to my post???

It's here http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=13439.msg231865#msg231865
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: paddbear0000 on April 14, 2009, 11:23:20 PM
No, that's not the post I was referring to. I had posted yesterday about the little cellulose balls Twirl was talking about and had suggested she try Sureseals instead.
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: RichardMEL on April 15, 2009, 12:03:34 AM
Hi Twirl.  We use seaweed pads over here which help with clotting the site.  Then we put the guaze over that.  When you take the guaze off the little patch of seaweed stays there doing its job and then you take if off about three hours later.  Happy to send you some of that over.  xx

seaweed pads?? wow that sounds a bit new age :)

We use "dots" with folded gause over those taped down. I leave them on overnight and rip them off (and my arm hair!) in the morning.... I usually clot in around 2 minutes which makes it really easy. There's one poor guy in our unit who sometimes takes 30+ minutes to clot. d'oh!
Title: Re: I am not going
Post by: greco02 on April 15, 2009, 02:00:21 PM
Is there a governing/accreditation agency these facilities use?  Like JACHO for the hospitals or AAAHC for clinics?  Dept of Public Health?  They must have to pass some sort of muster to be in business?  Perhaps this is a place to look for standards of excellence .....sounds crummy to not have the supplies that do the best job for the patient.