not quite NxStage, but getten there

[boswife]

Today was the beginning of our 'sort' of training.  Today was about me :-) and canulating.  I watched a movie which i thought was going to be unneccessary but it was REALLY useful.  it was showing how infultration happens and angle of the needle etc.  Then, I went through a whole nicely long lesson about different types of accesses and hubby is in the greatest of situations on that one.  Anyway, i didnt stick hubby, but i did stick the dummy and i got the vain!!!  whoo hoo  for me.. my trainer said i was a fast learner and was empressed  which made me VERY happy.  I learned sooooo much today and am pretty happy about it.  Amazing that all the cleanin, tapeing, etc looks so simple but when it's stuck in your face to do,  well, it's quite a thought out process. I also learned from the 'nurse' in the center a whole  bunch of stuff.  Anyway, i cant believe how much i knew,,,,,,,,,,,,and didnt know..lol  Wednesday, i do hubby and at this point, im not scarred or anything.  Just determined to make him better!!!!

[Bill Peckham]

Today was the beginning of our 'sort' of training.  Today was about me :-) and canulating.  I watched a movie which i thought was going to be unneccessary but it was REALLY useful.  it was showing how infultration happens and angle of the needle etc.  Then, I went through a whole nicely long lesson about different types of accesses and hubby is in the greatest of situations on that one.  Anyway, i didnt stick hubby, but i did stick the dummy and i got the vain!!!  whoo hoo  for me.. my trainer said i was a fast learner and was empressed  which made me VERY happy.  I learned sooooo much today and am pretty happy about it.  Amazing that all the cleanin, tapeing, etc looks so simple but when it's stuck in your face to do,  well, it's quite a thought out process. I also learned from the 'nurse' in the center a whole  bunch of stuff.  Anyway, i cant believe how much i knew,,,,,,,,,,,,and didnt know..lol  Wednesday, i do hubby and at this point, im not scarred or anything.  Just determined to make him better!!!!

 



The dummy had a vein? Cool - please tell more.

[MooseMom]

Oh, that's just fantastic, boswife!  I am so incredibly proud of you!  Please keep us posted on what you learn because several of us are going to eventually train on NxStage, so we're looking to you for instructions!

[greg10]

 
Good job.  It sounds like this clinic is well equipped to show you the proper way to learn hemodialysis on NxStage.  We never got to try out a dummy arm.  Did they have 'fake' blood as well?  I know some setups allow for filling a reservoir with red dye in a viscous liquid and simulates a vein filled with blood.

[tyefly]

 WoW       that is great.....  I sure wish I got that type of training.....   

      Is your husbund going to learn to stick him self.....    I like to stick my self  cause I know just when it hurts and when it doesnt.....   I have button holes  so I have to go slow and then there is  NO pain.....

    I am sure you will do great....

[looneytunes]

I'm SO jealous of the quality of training you seem to be getting.  There was no dummy for us to practice on.  There was no film to watch and I still feel like it would help to get some real training.  So...PLEASE, share all the details you can.   

[boswife]

Thanks so much for all your incouragement :-)  Im really excited about it all and it's really good to see that im getting what i need for learning.  Yep Bill , the dummy had a vein, and i was so grateful to have the chance to work with it.  I have made me an 'arm' with a vein at home now and have canulated and taped up, and removed needles 4 times this morning.  Will be doing it a few more times before going for it tomorrow.  I must admit, im a bit proud of myself as well Moosemom.  Not prideful, just feel good that im going through with this for my hubby.  It's NOT my fortee,fortaaaae,  lol, dont know how to spell that so it's not my 'thing' hows that..lol  (the needle part of this is very tough for me)... Greg10, As far as the 'fake' blood on their dummy, well, they did have a bag on the end of it that had sailine in it but without the red coloring that they usually have.  It was kind of cool when the nurse was showing me how to test that the needle was placed correctly (hubby doesnt use heparin so theres an extra step) she pulled the syringe back and there came the water..lol It actually surprised her and she said,, hey, you got the vein.. (i was just actually suppose to be getting accustome to the stick at angle, but i couldnt help but add , stick, angle, and actually hit the vein...lol   And tyefly, i am hoping that in time, hubby (Bo) will learn to stick himself as well.  I think it's important and i 'think' he'll be willing once we get this thing down to give it a shot at it..  And looney, i was really surprised that i got to do all this training.  It didnt sound at first that i would so i am pleasantly surprised! 

[Bill Peckham]

Yep Bill , the dummy had a vein, and i was so grateful to have the chance to work with it.  I have made me an 'arm' with a vein at home now and have canulated and taped up, and removed needles 4 times this morning.

You made an arm?

[MooseMom]

Yeah, I wanna hear more about how you made an arm...

[boswife]

Im really tuckered out tonight but if your serious, i'll try taking pictures  of 'the arm'.  It has been really helpful to me to get a clear idea of canulating, and given me great practice on the cleaning, stick, taping up etc.  It's pretty cool actually..lol

[MooseMom]

Im really tuckered out tonight but if your serious, i'll try taking pictures  of 'the arm'.  It has been really helpful to me to get a clear idea of canulating, and given me great practice on the cleaning, stick, taping up etc.  It's pretty cool actually..lol

It must be exhausting making arms, so you go get some rest and you can tell us all about it tomorrow.  We're very serious...inquiring minds want to know!

[Bill Peckham]

You could give us hints ... It is primarily constructed out of ________.

[MooseMom]

The blood is made with -------------------------

[looneytunes]

Yep, I wanna see pics of this arm you made too.......

[boswife]

heheh.. i love that you guys wanna see my 'arm'.  i just gotta get a picture today and post if i can.  New computer im tring to learn so mabie i'll just do from my other one so it can get done..It's really kinda silly but for me has been a life saver, so mabie for someone else it could do some good.  I 'll get with it this aft i HOPE!!  thanks for inquirig... your probably just gonna laugh though, but still, it's something that worked for me..

[MooseMom]

Hey, if it works AND it's funny, well, what better combination is that!??

[boswife]

ok im gonna try    ok,,lol, i have NO idea how to put pictures here..and to think i even thought i did.. hum,,  anyone wanna give me a qick lesson??

[MooseMom]

I am sooooooooooo not the person to ask!!

[greg10]

ok im gonna try    ok,,lol, i have NO idea how to put pictures here..and to think i even thought i did.. hum,,  anyone wanna give me a qick lesson??

Basically, you choose the "Additional Options" and then Attach-Choose the file from a folder in your PC and then Post or Preview.  The Preview will not show the picture in the present forum setup.
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?action=help;area=posting_topics#attachments

Attachments

If enabled, this feature allows you to attach files to your posts in much the same way as most email clients, so you simply have to browse to the relevant file(s) on your computer before clicking Post. You can delete your attachment(s) or add more by modifying your post, but please note that:
The permitted file types and sizes are set by the forum administrator(s).
Although most forums are likely be configured to display attached images as part of the post, it's not possible to preview attachments so you should always browse to and attach your files just before you finally post your message.

[boswife]

Yeah, it worked so i will modify what i had posted.  (thanks greg10)  So, there is the arm,with a taped down vein (needle from center) and then i have the needle inserted into the see through vein. I riged it so that when i put the one end of the 'vein' into water, and then attached a syrange to the other,  i could cover the main part where the button hole is, and insert my needle without seeing if i got it in so it would be more real, then suck  water through the vein with the syrange it the other end, and if it came up, i was in the vein..lol only thing was, after doing that twice and not thinking, i made new button holes and when i went to suck the water i sucked air through the privious holes.  Now im just doing it without covering the vein, just to get the feal anyway.  Confusing?? 

ps.. you can see better when you inlarge them,,, Aint she a beauty.. lol    the orange color is betadine.  I do the whole stick, and taping up, and taking off, all day long..lol

[Bill Peckham]

That's awesome.


One thing I see is that going through the needle line will offer more resistance than going through the fistula wall. And the one thing you're trying to avoid when you're actually cannulating is going through the back wall, so I wouldn't want you to get use to applying too much force.


I've recommended cannulating fruit to practice because an orange peel or banana skin is similar to human skin resistance-wise but you still can't convey in practice the issue of going too far. With buttonholes I just think about going slowly.

[boswife]

thanks Bill.  It's kinda a funny  arm, and mostly im using it to try to 'see' it going down the track.  See, i have had my first 'go' at it on wednesday and though i accomplished putting the needle in on both Aand V,(i am getting over a needle phobia but did REALLY good!) i didnt get into the track on either. But then it took4 other techs and then a tech who knew his fistula to actually get him canulated. Hubbys vistula rolls a bit im told. It really worries me.  I want so bad to be able to do this but if they even have a hard time, what chance do i have.  Tomorrow is my second stick so we will see.  Someting that really bothered me was ,,,i really think i felt it going in correctly but their was no 'flash' . They said sometimes you dont get it. In that case, I  possibly did get it first stick,because when they said it was in, they didnt get a flash either but pulled it up with the saline syringe.    Was their turnacuit (bad spelling sorry) to tight??  Shouldnt you always 'see' the flash?  Well, thanks so much for your input. It's very valued!! and i will not use the same pressure as the tube im practicing on So thanks for that info.

[MooseMom]

 I think you're brilliant, boswife.  You are so incredibly eager to learn and sooo dedicated.  I really admire you.

[boswife]

Moosemom, that means a whole lot to me.  I read it last night as i was turing off my phone but couldnt respond from it. (have since fixed that) I
 went to bed with a big smile and a bit of a tear.  Tough stuff this D and encouragement is so special and valued.  So thank you you special woman.

[boswife]

oh and BTW all of you ,,,,,,,,,,  I did it,  I mean I DID IT!!!!!  i canulated my hubby today...   The best feeling in the whole world when you want something so bad.  Now i will add that i only did the Arterial, but i did it, flash and all.  I was thrilled, and did go for the V but i wont 'fish' for long but did learn somemore from watching the nurse get it so that was better than poking around and just possibly getting it.  I tell you, i felt such a rush of joy, Truly made my day!  I now know what to feel for, and what it feels like weather i get it next time or not, i AM learning...  Yep, i can say im proud of myself, which doesnt come easy for me