Hello from Chicago

[Mymomisawarrior]

Hello!
Just joined the site after googling dialysis forums. My mother has been on and off dialysis for about 20 years. I've been around dialysis my entire life.
Thanks!

[willowtreewren]

Stick around and get to know us! 

[fc2821]

    Glad you found this place, this is a great place.   Lots of friendly epople here who will very happy to listen to anything you have to say, or answer a question, or just be here so you can vent.  Please come back and get to know us we'd like to know you.

[Chris]

Hello from the Land Of Lincoln too.

[gothiclovemonkey]

 
I too am from illinois

[MooseMom]

I live in Chicagoland, too...western suburbs.  It's cold here!

Welcome to IHD!

[Mymomisawarrior]

Thank you all very much. I am actually here because I am going through a tough time. Like I mentioned earlier my mom has been on and off dialysis for the past 20 years. Almost immediately after I was born my mother began having kidney failure. A few years later her kidneys stopped functioning and she was forced to start dialysis. Initially the doctors attempted to give her HD but her body simply did not take it well and her doctors decided to give her PD. She was on PD until she received her first transplant. A few years after her first transplant her body rejected her kidneys again, and she began to start her 2nd round of PD. She was on PD for a few more years and finally she received her second transplant but again after a few years her kidneys were rejected. She began her 3rd round of PD shorty after. In the almost 20 years she has been on PD she never had serious complications directly related to the dialysis. However, earlier this month my mom began seeing a lot of Fibrin in her collection bag and she began receiving antibiotics to cure any possible infections (peritonitis). At the same time my mother began to have less and less bowel movements. After her condition worsening, no bowel movements, weakness, and fever, she was admitted into the hospital where her longtime nephrologist discover she was had encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (eps). Her nephrologist never directly told us of her exact condition but another doctor caring for my mom informed my sister of her condition. To be quite honest I searched eps and I am terrified. She is receiving an oral steroid to try to control the inflamation in her abdomen. She has so much fibrin in her abdomen that it was nearly impossible to continue PD and thus a HD catheter was placed (the fibrin was also the cause of her constipation). Two days ago she received her first HD treatment. She had not eaten much during the week and was put on clear liquid diets multiple times during the week. She was very weak to begin with. About one hour into the treatment her condition worsened and she passed out and she looked unconscious and like she might be gone. Fortunately the nurses configured the machine to stop the treatment and gave her some oxygen and she came back. We thought we had lost her and she even commented that she thought she was leaving us. Her treatment was stopped and she did not continue with it. Yesterday her nephrologist decided that it would be best to remove the PD catheter and she got a small surgery with local anesthesia to remove it. She is now in a semi stable state with no option of PD anymore and also EPS. I am concerned as to how she will react to the HD in the future and if these kinds of complications are common and if they are just a part of the HD treatment since she just got on it. My mother is 61. She suffered a stroke about 13 years ago that left her disabled and limited her mobility dramatically. Her physical strenght is not in ideal shape. What about her EPS. Are there any specific treatments that should be done. I am in College and I am not there at my moms bedside 24/7 and I have terrible fears of what can happen. EPS is a serious condition that should not be taken lightly. The fact the HD was so terrible on her also scares me. I hope someone can talk to me and make me feel better so I can make my mother feel safer and also the rest of my family. Thank you for Reading

[peleroja]

Welcome to the group.  I think it's cool when a family member joins.  Lots of good information and friends here.  Glad you joined!

[Rerun]

Hello MMIAW, and welcome to IHD.  You are a sweet daughter.  I'm so thankful she had dialysis all these years (and transplants) to watch you grow up.  What a blessing.  She will adjust to HD.  She'll just have to.  It will take time.  After years and years of dialysis we all start to run out of options.  I'm sure your Mom has had years to think of all of this.  So don't be worried about her.  She will be worrying about you.  Stay strong.

Welcome to IHD.  I hope someone here can answer your questions.

Come back soon....

Rerun, Moderator      

[AguynamedKim]

  Mymomisawarrior.  I'm sorry your mother is going through such a rough spot right now.  I hope she responds to some low and slow Hemodialysis, possibly longer to help her.  You're so good for taking such good care of her.  I'm thinking of you and wishing you well.

[Mymothersdaughter]

Hi mymomisawarrior,
I too have a mom who has been on dialysis for most of my life. So I know how hard this can be. My mom is now 65, 30 years and 3 failed transplants later. After 5 decent years of PD at home, she had to go back on Hemo after an infection that kept her in hospital for 5 weeks. I will be hoping and praying that your mom will adjust to the hemo. Miracles can happen - my mom is one   She has been able to adjust to hemo, sometimes has to eat salty food while on dialysis to keep her blood pressure up (oh the irony).

[buffalogal855]

Hope things go well for you.  Being a mom myself I'm sure your mother wants you to take good care of yourself!