Kelly...welcome (from one newbie to another!)
My fistula took 5 months before we started using it. I did have to go in for a couple of angioplasies...they wanted the silly thing to be bigger, so I went twice to have little balloons injected and blown up. None of it was especially painful...inconvenient more than anything...but it's now working and it gets rave reviews from the various doctors, nurses, etc.
As for the thrill...it's great at parties...you'll probably be the only one with it...so freak a few folks out!