Oh what a morning!

[big777bill]

 I woke up tired this morning. Yesterday was the best I've felt in over a year. We went grocery shopping after church. Stopped at WalMart for a few items. Got a prescription filled at WalGreens. Did some yard work which included trimming my Rose of Sharon bushes back quite a bit. Long story short, I was beat this morning. Hooked up to the NxStage machine at about 10 am. We had to do labs today also. One of the tubes was bad and wouldn't draw blood. After that was done hit the green kidney to start up. Got a yellow 14 almost immediately. The line coming out of the bottom of the side mounted warmer was pinched so I fixed that. Still couldn't get rid of the yellow 14. I called NxStage tech support and realized I had forgot to push the start button again The tech was really nice and said it happens all the time. I think he was trying to make me feel not so dumb. As I tried to bring the blood rate up I noticed that my arterial pressure was very low(100-120). I got up to 440 and the arterial pressure started dropping even more. I didn't see anything wrong. I was stressed already from the earlier problems besides the fact of being tired. Called the RN. This was the 2nd time this morning. The 1st time was to go over lab draw procedure because we had only done it once before and that was a month ago. Right about the time she answers the phone I see the the arterial pod is empty. We go over how to reset the pod and away we go! About 2 minutes after that the red alarm on the warmer starts going off. Nobody ever told us that the warmer even had an alarm on it! Called the RN for the 3rd time. She never had anyone have it happen to them either. She tells me to call NxStage tech support. She thinks that the warmer has probably gone bad. The dialysate was room temp and I'm starting to get very cold. Called tech support and had a 5 minute hold! I'm glad the pump was still running or I would've had to do a emergency rinseback. The tech finally picks up the line and it's the same guy I talked to earlier! Thankfully all I had to do was turn the warmer off and on 10 times fast to reset it. He wasn't quite as nice this time but I imagine he was having one of those mornings too by the call volume they were having. After that everything went smoothly. I was glad to get this Monday morning behind me

[MooseMom]

Oh man, I got tired just reading that!  I hope your afternoon and evening will be much better!  I need to think of something to make for dinner.  I wish I had "tech support" to help me out with that.  LOL!

[boswife]

It was neat reading of your "yesterday" but the today.........ewe.........  i've had a couple of those too.  Ya know, when we just started (a year and a half ago) we NEVER had to wait for tech support... thanks be to God because i was a very nervous nelly.  Now, im finding that it does sometmes take time to get them and i dont like that at all!!  So far, in all this time though, i've only had one time where the tech didnt bend over backwards to help and with the patience of Job. They are Soooooooooo good about it 99% of the time,  So hopfully that 'second' call was your one and only with even a tad of impatience.   Also, my one thing i delt with at first for a while was that pressure pod reset thing.  I didnt know (prob was trained but it didnt stick) that you should give it a backwards turn before securing it.  I got alarmed for many many times before i finally got the answer to do that.  It sure is a constant learning is seems for a while even though ya got the main's.  I learned a whole lot more about it from our other group's listserve (i told ya about it before but havent seen ya there .  Ya learn a bunch about tweeken the machine to work for you how you want it to with lots of support from others who have already done it.  Anyway, it's so nice to hear that your 'dealing' with the ups and downs and i wish you a blessed and smooth day tomorrow.  It's kind of good to get this stuff as it really teaches you you CAN do it and the nerves settle with THAT knowledge

[big777bill]

 MM I'm a much better story teller than a writer, lol. BW I hooked up the pod connection after I pushed the treatment button to get the saline moving, my bad. Don't get me wrong the tech guy said or did nothing wrong. It was that he seemed not as laid back and nice as they usually do the 2nd time I talked to him. That was the first time I ever had to wait to talk to them. I'm glad my blood was still moving or I'd have been in trouble. I don't want to to do an emergency rinse back ever if I don't have to. The warmer really surprised me. We were never taught anything about trouble with it. I'm gonna get a good night sleep tonight and see what tomorrow brings. God Bless

[MaryJoe]

Sweet Mother of Pearl, Bill, and I thought I had a crazy frustrating day at work today!   I hope things go more smoothly tomorrow, but then I guess they'd almost have to, wouldn't they?  Praying for a much calmer experience for you tomorrow.

MJ 

[Jean]

Gosh Bill, talk about a bad Monday!!!! That is good tho, in that you now will remember those things. Sometimes it is the only or best way to learn. Good luck, hope Tuesday is better for you.

[big777bill]

 Today went as smooth as silk, no problems at all. I set the machine up in advance last night. I think I'm gonna do that more often. The snap and tap was real easy and I didn't get any alarms at startup. My son wanted me to run and do some business for him today so I thought I'd give the pre-setup a try to help me get done treatment quicker. I know days like yesterday are good learning experiences but I could do without all the stress, lol.  God Bless, Bill

[amanda100wilson]

I usually do that too Bill.  I was told by o e NxStage User that he sets up the prime of the cassette and then puts the bags up (which I use) and I prefer doing it this way.  This was an older way of doing it, any ideas why they changed?

[big777bill]

Amanda I found out about setting up in advance on here. I have no idea why they changed. Let me know if you find out.

[amanda100wilson]

Big Bill it was the set up itself not setting up in advance.

This is what I was taught about set up.  Connect up MLA lines and bags and after spiking heater bag, prime the MLA lines.  After that, put in cartridge, hang saline bag and prime.

This person does saline and cartridge and prime first.  Since   They are separate until connections are made, I can't see that it makes a difference other than his way seems more logical, as it gives the system chance to sit making for easier snap and tap, even if you aren't planning on leaving the set up at the 23 for a whole.

[big777bill]

 Amanda do you have a top or side mounted heater?