Goodbye Sweet Fistula

[tamara]

Well, goodbye sweet fistula, we had some good times we sure had some bad but today we must say goodbye. 

I woke up this morning, feeling that I had slept on my arm and didn't think nothing of it until it was time to check my fistula. It was pulsating but no thrill, and that part of my arm felt like a dead weight.

I called the hospital and spoke to the renal registrar, and since I am transplanted he isn't too concerned, other than to bandage it and take pain killers if it gets too sore.

Feel I'm without my safety blanket now if anything goes wrong and knowing that if it does, back to a yucky catheter.

He is going to check over it Friday morning to make sure no sign of infection and let me know what will happen from there.


P.S All mods wasn't sure where to post since I'm transplanted, but since it was fistula related I thought to put it in general discussion of dialysis.

[okarol]

I felt a little panic when Jenna's fistula quit the day of her transplant. The surgeon did not want to open it back up because she was newly transplanted, and didn't want to take any risk with infection. Thankfully she didn't need it, but it was nice to have while it lasted.

[tamara]

Yeah that's his only concern, infection. Have bloods taken friday as per my fortnightly appointment and he said he will check it then, but if fever etc go to emergency but thats normal procedure for us anyway, so no diff till friday.

[Joe Paul]

Sorry to hear about your fistula Tamara, hopefully it will be a long long time before you would need it anyways. Keeping you in thought and prayers 

[monrein]

Mine quit suddenly one day about six months after my transplant and I felt strangely sad about it.  However, no infections, no trouble, no pain and this time (after 23 years) they successfully created my new fistula in the upper part of the same arm.

Don't worry Tamara, I hope you'll be an old lady before you need another.  A friend of mine is now in her 33rd year with the same transplant, done at a time when it was almost unheard of.

[Wattle]

  Hey Tamara.... You are forgetting you now have a SUPER kidney and will not be needing that silly old thing anymore!!!  It knew its gig was up. Time for dialysis to be in your past.   

[Sluff]

Hopefully everything willbe fine. Like Wattle said, you won't need it anymore anyway.   

[boxman55]

tamara, it is a sign that your transplant will go on and on and on!!!  Boxman

[2_DallasCowboys]

Hey, Tamara!

I agree with all the above posters, you won't be needing your
"old friend" Mr Fistula anymore.  Here is to a long, long new
friendship with your new kidney, may it last forever!

Anne

[KR Cincy]

Wow Tamara...I've only had my fistula for over a year and I can't remember it NOT being there! But I do think this is a sign that your body is perfectly happy with that new kidney and, as the old song goes, "the thrill is gone."   

[keith]

Hey, Tamara!

I agree with all the above posters, you won't be needing your
"old friend" Mr Fistula anymore. Here is to a long, long new
friendship with your new kidney, may it last forever!

Anne

same here

[RichardMEL]

Yeah that would be a weird and a bit scary thing Tamara but yeah like the others have said that little beauty from Allan the superman will keep you going forever and you won't need that yucky old thing *hugs* xoxo

[donnia]

I agree with everyone else... you won't need that silly thing again anyway  

Hello tinkling all day long ....  goodbye fistula   

[tamara]

Thanks for the thoughts guys      , guess I'm flying without my safety net now lol

but it was pretty sore during my sleep last night, kept waking up from it, so took some pain killers this morning, and see them tomorrow morning

[RichardMEL]

Hoping all went well with the review of the fistula and they can sort out the soreness... that sounds like a real pain in the.. uh.. arm...

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Here's hoping you never need it again. 

[okarol]

Tamara, how are you doing?

[tamara]

Thanks for asking Karol, went to the docs yesterday morning, the relationship is definetely over lol
Still sore especially when i wake up.
It is blocked but not entirely but since the kidney is working so good they will do nothing, just do whatever that relieves the pain, could take up to a month for swelling to go down, so just been doing heat pad and pain killers when I wake up but the rest of the day mostly ok.

[okarol]

Awww parting is such sweet sorrow...

I hope you feel better soon! 

[KR Cincy]

Tamara...I hope the pain eases soon.

And seriously, I toss in a "thrill is gone" reference, and NOTHIN' What's a guy gotta do around here??

 

[tamara]

Swelling has gone down alot since last week and now no soreness, no thrill but its pulsating as much as it ever did, so a bit confused with it all, not caring about it though.
And yes, the thrill has gone............lol

[donnia]

We all of course hope that you will never need that thing again, but I can totally relate with your "safety net" reference.  My surgeon had told me that we may need to do something with my fistula (although I doubt it... cause I don't think mine was actually reeeaaallly strong to begin with) because it could cause heart problems.  Did yours say anything about that?

[AlasdairUK]

I had my transplant 4 months ago and they want to cut my fistula out as it too big. I understand how you feel about losing your security blanket.