Peritonitis Strikes!!

[Ken Shelmerdine]

I've just spent the most miserable 2 and 1/2 weeks of my life hospitalized with peritonitis. And to top it all I've had to have the PD catheter removed and a Tessio Line put in my neck for Haemo.

It started on the 4 December when I got these stomach pains at work, not too severe but unpleasant nevertheless. I went home, took some paracetamol and went to bed for a couple of hours. I hadn't given a thought about the possibility of peritonitis just thought I might have a stomach bug or something until later when the pain had become much worse. It's now dawning on me that something seriously might be wrong so I did a CAPD fill and settled down to try and watch some TV but over the next 2 hours the pain was agonising and when I drained off the fluid it was cloudy.

My friend and neighbour Mike drove me to A&E where they admitted me. Although I'd taken a sample of the drained fluid they did another manual exchange and the drain from this one was like pea soup! With strong introvenous antibiotics and strong pain killers the pain became just about bearable over the next week but it was clear that the infection was rumbling on.

The Doctor said the infection is one of the most difficult ones to eradicate (Pseudomonas) and has probably infected the catheter so I have had to have surgery to remove the PD catheter. I have had two sessions of haemo with strict intructions form me 'NO UF. TOXINS ONLY' which I think they have abided by because they used a slow pump speed and a short  2 hour therapy but I have noticed that after the treatment I get very sweaty and clammy and feel a bit week in my legs. This really pisses me off because it was ten days between the catheter being removed and my first haemo and in that time apart from the soreness of the surgery wound I had no symptoms of Uremia or any of the other problems associated with kidney failure and as soon as I have dialysis which is supposed to be good for me I feel shitty. I am still not discharged from hospital just home for a weekend break. I have to go back Monday and hopefully back home for Christmas.

I've not yet decided whether to do PD again, the pain from peritonitis is something I never want to experience again. If I decide on haemo I have to  stay admitted to hospital but with bouts of home leave until I get a regular haemo slot. There is no internet access in hospital so I'll post next time I'm home
Love to All

[kitkatz]

What a way to spend the month.  I hope you feel better soon and things work out!

[rookiegirl]

Ken - I'm so sorry this is happening to you.  I know exactly how you feel.  I spent the first week of Nov '08 in the hospital due to Peritonitis caused by my constipation and Ecoli sipped thru the wall of my intestine.  I know too well the agonizing pain you describe.  I was very fortunate that my catheter didn't have to be removed.  I've been so peranode since my incident.  Everytime I have pain in my abdomen I think Peritonitis.  I'm still doing CAPD and praying each day to be cautious.

Feel better soon and please keep us posted on your progress.

[pelagia]

Oh Ken, that's terrible.  Sending you a  , which isn't much, but it's heartfelt. Hope you get things worked out quickly.  Being in the hospital around the holidays doesn't sound like much fun at all.

[monrein]

Ken, how bloody awful.  And at the holidays too.  I hope you get back on track and feeling more like your former self ASAP.  I look forward to your updates on how hemo goes for you. 

[Chris]

Sorry to hear Ken, hope you feel better soon.

How nice that is to be able to go home and back o the hospital, wish they did that here in the States.

Get Well soon.

[peleroja]

Hey, Ken, I know how you feel.  The same thing happened to me, and you can read about it at http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=11298.0  Like you, I had to have my catheter removed and I'm on hemo for awhile.  However, peritonitis notwithstanding, I cannot wait to get back to PD.  Hope you're feeling better now!

[willieandwinnie]

  Oh Ken, I am so sorry to hear this. I hope you get to feeling better real soon. Take care and keep us updated. 

[okarol]

  Ken, I am sorry to hear this - it sounds very painful and I hope you're better soon. Adjusting to hemo can definitely wash you out. Hopefully you will get to enjoy Christmas and are improving each day. Take care.

[Wattle]

   Hugs Ken. I hope you are feeling better soon and are home for Christmas.   

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Well I'm back home again until Saturday the day after Boxing day when I'll then go back into hospital for more haemo. I hate it but at the moment the thought of having a new pd catheter fitted and the the risk of peritonitis again scares the shit out of me. Because I haven't yet got a regular haemo slot I have to stay admitted to hospital with a few home breaks.

I am having quite a gentle haemo 2 hours a session toxin removal only and no UF twice a week. Even so I still feel a bit washed out after a session.

In the weeks ahead I've got some serious thinking and decision making to do. I know that whatever dialysis slot I get my company will help me work round it with some kind of flexi arrangements or reduced hours and also I get paid in full up to twelve months sickness. But do I want a life of work and dialysis with all the reduction in leisure time that it brings? There's also the option of home haemo. The NHS will kit out a room for haemo free of charge or failing that they can install a portacabin in my back garden as a dialysis room complete with heating and hot and cold water.

On the other hand I could register myself disabled. Disabled living allowances are quite good in the UK and once you get that It opens up a host of welfare benefits. Rita would become my carer and would receive an allowance of a similar amount to that which she gets paid for her part time job at the moment.

I don't much like the idea of living on benefits but why not I've worked for 45 years and paid my taxes.

Right now I need to start eating properly again. General anaesthetic takes my appetite away for ages and up to now I've lost over a stone (over 14 pounds) I'm not really a happy chappie at the moment. I wish I could feel as positive about this as I did about APD.

[paul.karen]

Ken i am sorry to hear you are going through all this.

And it does appear you have some decisions to make.
All my best for your near future and decisions.

Get well my friend
P&K

[rose1999]

Ken I'm sorry to hear this, you are right to think long and hard about your options but remember (as you say) you have worked for 45 years and paid your taxes and NI, you are fully entitled to take any benefits due to you.  Life is too short to drive yourself into the ground, I hope you will decide to take it a bit easier.  All the best to you and Rita for Christmas and the New Year
Rose x

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Thank you all  for your good wishhes. To all on IHD have A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[Sunny]

Ken,
I'm sorry you had such a rough time with an infection. You have big decisions to make regarding your work. After 45 yrs of work, maybe you deserve time for yourself and your health. Good luck to you.

[G-Ma]

Ken
Hugs to you and your wife.  I'm sorry you are feeling badly and hope this passes quickly for you.  Remember you are number 1, so take care of yourself and if that means slowing down, do it.
Have a good holiday.
Ann

[pelagia]

Ken, I was just following a link to something Okarol posted (homedialysis.org) and a few links from there I arrived at a page about presternal catheters for PD.  It caught my eye because the article compares infection rates for presternal versus abdominal catheters (dated 2005) and suggests that there may be less infection with presternal catheters.  Just thought I'd pass the link along in case it is something of interest to you:

http://www.homedialysis.org/resources/tom/200507/

 

[Sluff]

dang it all Sir ken if it ain't one thing it's another. Hope you mend quickly.

[Nan]

Ken.....I will be keeping you in my thoughts.  I SWORE I would NEVER get that infection, but I did,  1 month before my scheduled transplant.  The pain is something you don't forget about very soon.  I am so very sorry, hope your a "happy chappie" soon!

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Ken, I was just following a link to something Okarol posted (homedialysis.org) and a few links from there I arrived at a page about presternal catheters for PD.  It caught my eye because the article compares infection rates for presternal versus abdominal catheters (dated 2005) and suggests that there may be less infection with presternal catheters.  Just thought I'd pass the link along in case it is something of interest to you:

http://www.homedialysis.org/resources/tom/200507/

 

Pelagia thank you for that I'm going to make some inquiries with my clinic although I don't think here in the UK they offer it but it's worth looking into. Thanks again.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Still not got a regular haemo slot yet so I am still officially admitted to hospital although I am home every other day between haemo. I think I can honestly say that now I really do HATE DIALYSIS. The days that I do haemo I feel completely worn out. During the night following haemo I sleep in a cold sweat all night. Is this normal? I just know that the longer I go without haemo the better I feel and when it's haemo day I'm wacked.

I'm doing 3 hour sessions now and it's driving me mad just having to lie there. It feels like a prison sentence. It works out more like 5 hours because when I'm taken down to the dialysis unit it's about an hour before someone is available to connect me up. When the 3 hour dialysis is up it takes about another half hour until there is a nurse available to take me off, and then I wait about another half hour until a porter comes to push my bed back to the ward which is on the other side of the hospital!

The regular haemo slots here in the UK are 4 hours x 3 days a week. I've told them there's no way I'm doing four hours.
I'm sorry to sound like a whimp but I'm been so  used to living a normal life on PD and now I feel everything is spinning out of control.

[del]

 So sorry about the infection  to you and your wife. Ken do they offer nocturnal home hemo where you are.  It is a really good gentle treatment.  My husband has been on it for 2 1/2 years with no probems.  It gives all your days free you just hook up to the dialysis machine when you go to bed basically same as the cycler just that you have 2 needles in your arm.  If you have any questions you can pm me.

del

[pelagia]

Ken, I was just following a link to something Okarol posted (homedialysis.org) and a few links from there I arrived at a page about presternal catheters for PD.  It caught my eye because the article compares infection rates for presternal versus abdominal catheters (dated 2005) and suggests that there may be less infection with presternal catheters.  Just thought I'd pass the link along in case it is something of interest to you:

http://www.homedialysis.org/resources/tom/200507/

Pelagia thank you for that I'm going to make some inquiries with my clinic although I don't think here in the UK they offer it but it's worth looking into. Thanks again.

Happy New Year, Ken.

Peleroja has a preseternal catheter, I think, so maybe she knows more.

I am sorry to hear about your trials.  It makes me want to  someone.  But for you a 
 

[Ken Shelmerdine]

So sorry about the infection  to you and your wife. Ken do they offer nocturnal home hemo where you are.  It is a really good gentle treatment.  My husband has been on it for 2 1/2 years with no probems.  It gives all your days free you just hook up to the dialysis machine when you go to bed basically same as the cycler just that you have 2 needles in your arm.  If you have any questions you can pm me.

del

Del they don't recomend nocturnal haemo in the UK but I can do home haemo if I want to and I'm seriously considering this.

[rookiegirl]

Hi Ken,

Good to hear from you.  I hope you feel better soon.  I'm with you about not ever wanting to feel the pain that comes with Peritonitis.  We know it too well.  When I had my first episode this past November, I thought I was going to just die.  I'm doing the best I can to avoid the same mistake.

I pray I can continue CAPD as long as I can because I don't want to do hemo.  It just doesn't fit in my life style at this time.  Take care and continue to keep us posted.

Happy New Year!  

~RG