Newbie from Southern Ohio

[Cincygrandma]

Hi Everyone,  I found and have been following this site for several months, but just got up the nerve to do an intro.  I'm a 61 year old female living in Southern Ohio, about 35 miles or so from Cincinnati.  My neph tried to convince me early last year the time had come to begin dialysis, but like many others, I kept holding off thinking I was going to get better, and certainly not any worse.  In October, 2007, I was told my function was down to 6%.  I was feeling pretty rough with symptoms mainly of tiredness, trouble sleeping, severe itching, and forgetfulness.  Thankfully not the nausea and shortness of breath my doctor kept questioning me about.  There was an opening coming up in the site closest to my home (about 25 miles), and I was told I better take it.  I had my first dialysis treatment on 11/8/07.  Though my fistula was created in Dec. 06, it has required 5 angioplasties, including one about 3 weeks into treatment following my 1st  infiltration.  I'm known at the center as a "difficult stick" and have felt more pain in the past couple months than I've ever felt in my life.  I 'd hoped to be transplanted prior to beginning dialysis but unfortunately my prospective donors, a sister and a daughter, were both a positive crossmatch.  I am officially on the transplant registry now, but don't expect to hear anything soon.  I also need to schedule a gallbladder surgery since the pre-transplant testing showed gallstones, and hopefully will get that done very soon.  I'm still hoping for a living donor, but other willing family members have health issues making them ineligible.  I had glomerulornephritis following an untreated strep throat when I was 33, and while my neph couldn't confirm it, I believe that was the beginning of my eventual kidney failure.  I hope to be able to contribute occasionally to this forum, and am very happy to be a part of it.  God bless All.

[lola]

 

[boxman55]

Cincygrandma, welcome to IHD. sorry to hear about all your fistula troubles. I can say that I had my gallbladder removed and it went very smooth hardly no discomfort afterwards. hang in there...Boxman

[paris]

  Nice to meet you! So glad you introduced yourself.  Your story sounds similar to many of us here.  As you have probably already learned, this is a great place to be. I don't know how I would be dealing with everything if it weren't for the loving, understanding people here.  I look forward to reading more of your posts. 





EDITED: Fixed welcome sign icon error - Sluff/ Admin

[angela515]

 

[donnia]

 

[KR Cincy]

 
I'm from across the river...welcome to IHD!
This whole journey...including fistlas and dialysis...is so difficult. But you aren't alone.
I hope you have a good neph and that the Access Center is tending to your fistula.
Feel free to PM if you want to talk!

[Sluff]

Welcome to IHD Cincygrandma,

Sorry you didn't get your transplant prior to dialysis. Things don't always work out the way we want them do they? I'm glad you finally worked up the courage to become a member here, it's great to have you here. Read all you want and post all you want. If you have any questions just ask.

Sluff/ Admin

[okarol]

  Hi Cincygrandma,

Some of the NICEST people come from Ohio - my daughter's donor is from Wooster!

Welcome - I am glad you joined in - sorry about the fistula - what a pain!

Hope to hear more from you!

okarol/moderator

[Joe Paul]

Welcome Cincygrandma, good to have you aboard.

[oswald]

 

[goofynina]

Hi Cindygrandma,  Welcome to ihatedialysis.com.   You hang with us and everything is going to be ALLLLLLLLLLRIGHT    You have found an awesome site with awesome people who have become more of a family than anything.  The knowledge and support you need will definetly be found here.     I hope your feeling better and i look forward to hearing more from you soon.




Goofynina/Admin.

[Wattle]

 

[petey]

  I'm glad you found this site and glad you decided to join.

[willieandwinnie]

  Cindygrandma.

[Cincygrandma]

Thanks Everyone for the greetings and kind words!  I'm amazed at the response & support after just a few hours.  I feel like I'm finally among people who understand how I feel.  I do have supportive family members, but since thankfully this is something never before experienced by any of my family or friends, sometimes I do feel alone.  I always felt like a strong person before, and one with a high pain threshold.  Now I feel like a "wimp", especially at the dialysis center.  They seem to always be in a hurry and then cannulating me slows them down, many times requiring three people before they get me on the machine.  I feel like I have a great neph and everyone is so great at the Access Center.  The dialysis center would be happy if I had a catheter and pressured me to re-visit the surgeon who created my access, for transposition surgery and the catheter.  I did go see him a couple weeks ago, and he believes my fistula is big enough and strong enough, just a little deep on one end.  Doesn't think the surgery is needed.  I brought a note back from him to the center, with just basic cannulation instructions, and recommending their best tech do my needles (which we know is impossible because of scheduling).  I heard them laughing about it.  One tech (one who first infiltrated me in both lines, and who I asked not to cannulate me after that) told me in so many words that my surgeon doesn't know anything about the dialysis process like the techs do.  My neph seemed in agreement with the surgeon, but sent me I believe because of the pressure from the dialysis center.  Sometimes I feel caught in the middle and am not a confrontational person.  I had read on this site about how it was OK to not let a tech work on me, and feel like I'm beginning to stand up for myself a little more, thanks to the "I Hate Dialysis" site and all it's members.  Thanks again, and please correct me if I'm not supposed to post a response in this string.  I don't want to break any rules on the site!

[MyssAnne]

Welcome, Cincygrandma!   

You're going to find out how strong you really are as you continue dialysis.  By all means, stick up for yourself!  Hopefully someone here
who has experience on hemodialysis can give you suggestions on how to lessen the pain. 

All I can do is welcome you here, and encourage you to keep posting!! 

[Hawkeye]

Hello and 

[rose1999]

Hello and  from the UK 

[Ang]

welcome  aboard  cincygrandma

[del]

Hello and  from 

[kevinswife]

 

[Bajanne]

Welcome to our community!  I am glad you finally decided to introduce yourself. Your reply here was quite fine,  but what I would like you to do is to repeat your posting concerning your tech and your fistula in the General Discussion area.  That is something that needs to be discussed.  It is great that you feel that IHD is empowering you in some way. that is the intention of the founder of this site - to give us a voice!    So continue to take advantage of all that IHD has to offer.
A special welcome to someone of my age group!

Bajanne, Moderator

[Ken Shelmerdine]

 

[kitkatz]

Welcome. My first graft gave me heck for a year. They monkeyed with it twelve separate times.  Now I have anew one in my upper arm. I have had it for almost seven years.




kitkatz,moderator