little confedence in training

[coorsbob]

Hi all,
I am going on my second week of training on the nx-stage and pure flow sl and am quite overwelmed by all the things thats needs to be learned. I know I will get it evenually but I dont know about my partner. there is so much to take in. I will hang in there but today was not a good day for me. Maybe coz the morning started off with a fistula-gram wich was without any pain meds. I know im very tired also, wich dose not help. Any one else on here that has a simular experience?

Coorsbob

[Hanify]

You'll get there.  It's a lot to learn but you can do it!

[HubbysPartner]

I know it's pretty overwhelming at first.  I remember sitting in the training center with the nurse talking to me and going through the educational part and I just looked at her and I don't think I heard a word she said.  I was focused on making sure everything was going ok with the machine.  It was tough for a week or two, but then it all started to make sense and I realized that I absorbed more than I thought.  Just hang in there, it does get better.

[Meinuk]

Remember learning to drive a car?  It didn't happen over night no matter how much you know about cars and driving, you still needed to be behind the wheel to get the feel of the road.  Slow down, take a breath, and try to just get through each day.  It will all fall into place.  You mastered a computer and the internet.

The overwhelming shadow is that dialysis keeps you alive.  It can be scary for a care partner.  I didn't have a care partner, but when friends came to visit me during training, they were overwhelmed.  (I also screwed up more with people watching.... like the day I cannulated backwards....)


It is a lot, but in a few month's time, after using the machine over and over, it will just be like a job.  Cut yourself some slack. And hopefully, your partner will respond to you relaxing a little bit.  You clinic won't let you go home until everyone is comfortable.  Don't feel like there is a deadline or a final exam.  There isn't.  NxStage should make you feel better, and once you have gotten over this initial hurdle, hopefully, you'll be at home, relaxed and feeling the effects of high dose dialysis.

[willowtreewren]

Excellent advice so far.

I'll add a bit more. Understand your learning style. The training is designed for one learning style only. Since I learn best by rewriting, I asked to take the manuals home and rewrote the directions in my own words. Then I brought them back in for the nurses to check to verify that I had it right.

So, think about how you learn the best and make it happen by adjusting the content into your style.

You can read my training journal at:

http://willowtreewren.livejournal.com/

Here is to a better training journey.

Aleta

[M3Riddler]

Hang in there coorsbob,

Dont try to take everything in at once... You will drive yourself crazy. Go at your own pace and dont feel you have to take everything in. remember. If you take it in steps, everything will fit together as days go on. The end result will be independance and dialyzing on your terms and not the clinics... You will be able to travel also...not to mention feeling much better.

Just take it easy and ask any questions no matter how silly or involved they may be..

///M3R

[coorsbob]

Thanks so much gays (gals) I feel better to know that, today went better with no problems to speak of. Now tomorrow I start self Candelateing which worrys me some what, im sure once I do it a few times it will be just another task I must do to dialize I wish I had learned it earlier on on the start of my ESKD. One thing im having trouble with is the small caps that you have to remove they seen to me, very tight and I need help from my wife to do it. Also I cant seem to spike the saline bag to save me. Just not enough strength in my hands to do the task. Any  tips are welcome.

[vcarmody]

It is very overwhelming in the beginning, I was so afraid I was never gonna learn everything then all of a sudden I just started getting comfortable with the machine.  We are not home yet, my husband is in center getting button holes established because when he went in the hospital we lost the ones he had.  As soon as they are established I am ready for him to come home.   I already booked our first vacation, because I feel that confident about doing this at home.  There is so much to learn and everyone learns it at a different rate, take your time you will get it.  Our nurse was great she made us do all the different ways to get him off the machine in cause there was a power failure, and emergency ect. that is what finally made me comfortable knowing that I could get him off no matter what was happening, she even taught me how to recirculate his blood in cause I have a problem after he is on.  I think that was what was scaring me was knowing there were all these things in the book but I had no clue how to do them, and reading directions is fine but actually doing it works much better for me.  And the other great thing is knowing other people are here to help if you have questions, our center just started Nxstage and there is only one couple that is trained and home.  So knowing other people and knowing they are there if you have a question is a big relief.  Good luck!!!! 

[Malibu]

Good advice all of it and it is exactly what I felt.  We have been doing home hemo with NxStage for exactly 2 weeks yesterday!!!  :O)  After the 2nd week I really started to soak up the info.  I was very nervous with the nurse watching me and managed to screw up every day with her watching.  I do very well as home tho.  My hubby self cannulates, he is still not used to it.  Slow down, think about what you are doing, and then proceed.

And wait just a minute:  fistulagram without pain meds?  They didn't put you out?  OMG!  Why?  What's the deal? 

[tyefly]

    thank you so much for these wonderful threads......   I learn so much from them.... 

[coorsbob]

Today was another good day as I only had to remove .20 of a liter. the only thing is my Bp seems to have a mind of its own. Took my blood draws for pre and post for the labs also. Tomorrow I get epogen and iron i think. I normally get 6000cc of heprin but may need to increase it to 7000 Well see. Blood flow rate is better at 450 and v pressure is very good for me, anyway my Arterial pressure is running about 170 so i am not complaining. Well thats it for today I will let you know how it goes for tomorrow.
Good night IHD family!