Chook's 6 weeks on haemo - all my dramas!

[chook]

[img]Here I am at Week Four of my six weeks of haemo while my tummy heals from my small umbilical hernia repair. I am normally a PD patient on the Baxter overnight cycler - AKA Polly. It's been quite a journey!
The day before my hernia op we tried a haemo run. I had a fistula created in my lower right arm Jan 2010, and it wasn't great so some improvements were done to it when my PD catheter was inserted in April 2010. Unfortunately, it was a low flow area so as well as the hernia repair I had another fistula adjustment at the same time, creating a new one in my upper arm. This was the 21st January. My first haemo run was on the Monday and it went all okay, as did the second but the third run on Friday was unsuccessful, the vein blew and my arm still bears the bruises. This was partly my fault, as I now know the needle wasn't seated properly - you live and learn. The hernia repair all went well, except I ended up with ruptured or infected cysts on the kidneys (I have PKD) so had a couple of days in hospital for IV antibiotics and pain relief. This, added to the stress of the haemo, ended up stopping my bowels completely and so I was back in hospital for almost a week. Luckily, the blockage cleared without surgery and at last I am on the mend.
The unit here in Dubbo is a happy place to be and I am very grateful for that. For the first three weeks when I was so unwell I would just arrive and have the treatment and not say much at all. Now that I am better, I am getting to know the nurses and patients and find the time there not such a battle. I HATE being cannulated (is that the term), and hats off to those that do it week in, week out. I can see how doing it yourself would be of great benefit, but am not going to attempt that. My PD machine Polly, was my BFF before and now, I think she is my sanity and my welllness centre!!! I can't wait to get back on to PD. I am having a weekly PD flush and wouldn't you know it, the last one I had done the PD catheter wouldn't run. Eventually it cleared so now I will worry about that too.
On the up side, I am dialysising really well and my Ktv is 1.4. I am not running at full speed as my fistula is still new. I don't have any dietary or fluid restrictions - and am madly eating lots of fibre foods to keep the bowels working. My 'old' fistula is giving me a lot of pain and I'm hoping the surgeon might tie it off better - he has done so but another vein is coming up in a different spot on my lower arm. The new fistula is going well and now that the swelling has gone, I can really 'feel' the needles go in (while gritting my teeth) and know when they feel right.
Our youngest daughter lives in Dubbo - my closest D unit - so I am lucky to have somewhere to stay. I haven't been home since the start of all this as home is 400kms away, so 800kms for a trip home and back seems a bit excessive. Hubby has been doing lots of visiting as has eldest daughter and the gorgeous little grandies, so there have been good moments to all this.
I am on the up and up at last. It only seems like my hernia op was a week or so ago - I seem to have just zombied through the first dreadful three weeks. My tummy is still not tip top - bit itchy and I'm worrying I have had a bit of a reaction to the hernia repair mesh. Like the constipation, no-one is really listening but I will keep insisting I'm not happy and maybe someone will have a serious look at it.

[boswife]

oh boy oh boy oh boy!!!    I surly hope you get to go back to "your ole friend" polly soon since that is where ya wanna be.   it's gott be tough doing hemo when yuou have been so comfortable with PD though it's funny to hear of it (hemo) in the light of which you wright lol.     Being a 'hemo' cargiver, i tell ya, i agree with the needle part of it..hehe..  Hubbys home with NxStage and it's been great, but i tell ya, i think if it were MY choice, it would of been PD.. Hubby didnt want that though     Hope your healing gets on well, and your back to your norm really quick! 

[chook]

Thanks Boswife. I love IHD and truly it has been a source of sanity and support. It's great to know that there are lots of others like me out.
My Dad was on home haemo in the late 70s and early 80s and my Mum was his carer - my Mum is a fantastic lady. Mum is amazed by the advances in the type of haemo machines since she and Dad were using them.
I find PD so noninvasive! 

[galvo]

Chooky, it's great to hear that you're on the mend. You're a game 'un. Home soon, I hope.

[boswife]

and ya know what Chook, i thought that about PD as well so im not sure what got to hubby about it.  I 'think' it was the belly tube and swimming.  It was all so fast and that is what struck him as 'invasive' and 'intrusive' but i have since heard (and from you as well) of how people who do well on it LOVE it.  We shall see.  I would be HAPPY without needles.. but............................ he is doing well with it so thats what makes me happy :-)

[chook]

Not being able to swim is a bit sad BUT as my youngest daughter said to me "Mum, how many times did you swim last summer?" The answer - once - as it has to be a long warm spell or I find the water too cold. So my daughter told me to not to complain about not being able to do something I only do once a year.  Good thinking! I figure go with what works best and if that's haemo and it's working, well and good.

[boswife]

Funny you should say that about the once a year swim.  WE laugh because the water has to be "old man warm" for him to go in it in the first place and that doesnt happen too often and even when it does, well, he's not nearly as fond of the water as he 'thinks' he is..lol  "the Times they are a changen" bob dylan :-)        So, yep, NxStage is good so far, and once i have really conquered my own anxiety, it will be GREAT!

[okarol]

  Hey chook - good to have you back!

[Henry P Snicklesnorter]

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[chook]

Thanks for the swimming tip, Henry. The renal nurses here frown on swimming big time and I live a LONG way from the ocean. I figure I just won't take the risk. I'm glad that you can swim and enjoy it.

[*kana*]

I swim and I'm on PD.  I use the ostomy bags to cover my exit site.  They are super expensive, but it is worth it for me because I enjoy being in the water. 

[chook]

Thanks for the tip, Kana. I'd read somewhere about that. And would you believe when my sister passed away 18 months ago, we had boxes and boxes that no-one wanted back. I be thinking now I should have kept a few. Hindsight is a marvellous thing.

[billybags]

Glad you are on the mend.

[chook]

Thanks bb. On the downhill run now. One thing I've learnt is that haemo is so cold.

[chook]

I thought I should add a closing entry to  this thread.
My six weeks on haemo recovering from a little hernia op became eight as I had been unwell in the middle of it all and my doctor voted on the extra time.
I ended up coping pretty well with the haemo runs but admire those who do it all the time.
I'm glad the dialysis unit I was at was such a happy place as that made everything much more bearable.
I am back on PD and happy about that! Doing lower volume fills at the moment but gradually increasing. And back on the dreaded Renagel - look out, bowels!
I still have a bit of a sore tummy - blaming kidney cysts as I have PKD. The hernia op made my right kidney VERY sore and I kept asking could the surgeon have bumped/pushed/ moved the kidney and somehow caused the pain? Everyone said no, except the radiologist, who said she thought the surgeon must have had a difficult time with the hernia op, as my right kidney actually overlays the operation site. Aha, methinks - hence the pain.
I will be very careful not to lift anything heavy and perhaps cause another hernia, even though lifting may not have caused the first one. Err on the side of caution.
And hopefully that is the end of my dramas - for a long while.

[boswife]

Im so happy for you chook as i know hemo was not for you.  I hope this works out for a LONG time for you.  Take it sooooo easy, and be sooooooo well 

[okarol]

  Good to hear you're back on PD - hope things go well! 

[Des]

 

Good for you, bad for me I am one of the sods still on HD

[galvo]

Good to hear, chooky.

[cariad]

Oh, Chook, that was a drama indeed!

I am so glad you are back with your lovely Polly. For all that you've gone through, I look at your smiling pic and I swear I can hear that resilient smile in your posts.

Here's hoping that you and Polly can work together for many, many years to come.

Oh, and I have to add, I cannot BELIEVE you are a grandmother! You young thing, you!   

[Sax-O-Trix]

Glad to hear you are on the mend   

[chook]

Thanks Karol, Galvo and Sax-O-Trix.
boswife, I'm TRYING to take it easy but our old house has been invaded by mice and is in desperate need of a clean and a thorough disinfecting. So that's what I'm up to, room by room. I had to do our bedroom before I could sleep in there with Polly, the night we came home.
Des, I guess you just do what you have to and if HD was my only option, I'd do it regardless. I think I might have to learn to self cannulate though, in that case. I hate the feeling of being out of control when the nurses do it.
Cariad, you're too sweet. It must be just a flattering photo, I think.
Thanks again, everyone, for your interest. I love IHD!