A step by step PD experience!!!

[HouseOfDialysis]

Good luck! And as always, should any questions arise, we'll be here!

[Jie]

I am surprised that the bandage can be off within three days. I was not allowed to do anything with it during the first week. However, I felt almost no pain and did not take any pain pills.

[tbarrett2533]

Good luck! And as always, should any questions arise, we'll be here!

 

(if i am not mistakin you are the guy who does exchanges in ur truck??)

and if so I will be calling upon you especially to get tips on doing exchanges in my car 

[HouseOfDialysis]

Yes, ma'am. That's me. Any help you need, let me know. I'll assist in any way I can, Doll.

[JLM]

Yesterday I did my first exchange as I drove our truck.  I hung the full bag on the garment hook in the back, and put the drain bag on the floor by my feet.  I should have had the tubing go to my left side instead of my right.  I'll do that next time.   After draining for 45 - 50 minutes, I pulled off the road and did the switch to the solution bag.  After we got to our destination I completed the process and capped off.  Then I enjoyed spending time with my family and went kayaking.  I stayed away from the "pack" to avoid getting soaked.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Can I ask how long people have been doing their exchanges in cars and trucks. In doing so I can't see how you can maintain a sterile environment and therefore you are sending gold lettered invitations to peritonitis. The only safe way to do exchanges is in a scrupulously clean and sterile room with your works surface well disinfected for your intake bag and swabs and wipes. I also can't imagine how the strict antibacterial hand washing routine can be possible in a car or truck.

For those who have never experienced Peritonitis I can tell you from experience that it's no party. You will have probably heard from medical staff say that it lasts for about 48 hours and then you can start doing PD again. That is not the full story. They are referring to the least damaging bacteria (Staphylococcus if that is the way to spell it) and most patients have full recovery.

I wonder if they told you about Pseudomonas Peritonitis which is far more dangerous. You'll be in the worst agony you've ever experienced, your drain bags will look like yellowy brown Mud, you'll be in so much pain you'll start wishing you were dead. The worst of it will last depending on how quickly they can remove you're PD catheter  because you see that will be infected as well and antibiotics only take effect on organic matter and won't clear bacteria from a plastic tube. Because Pseudomonas is so aggressive it could cause your bowel to burst causing septicaemia, your essential organs will start to shut down, next thing you are on a life support machine and if you miraculously survive you will at best have to put up which a bowel colostomy for the rest of your Life

This of course being a worst case scenario may never happen to many people but there are at least two patients in my centre with colostomies and on- going bowel complications

I myself had Pseudomonas peritonitis and luckily had the catheter removed as quickly as possible so no complications occured.
Think about it, is it worth tempting all that potential suffering be exchanging in  a truck or any vehicle for that matter

[HouseOfDialysis]

It's a just a practical part of my life. I know of lumberjacks, locally, who do it in their vehicles as well.

Since I started doing PD, it was a necessity to do it in my truck. My worksite is a dirty ol' warehouse, and there is no place IN the building that is acceptable.

I keep my truck clean. I wipe everything down with Lysol or Clorox disinfectant wipes. hell, Lysol can kill HIV-1 in 30 seconds. My point is that if you take proper precautions, it minimizes the risk, but the risk is ALWAYS there.

On road trips, I don't stop for exchanges, if I'm doing manuals. We shut off the airflow in the vehicle, whatever it is, everyone masks up, and we progress. We get strange looks from other drivers, but hell, that's part of the fun at that rate.

We do what we must to live and more than that, live life. Dialysis works for me, I don't work for it.

[cattlekid]

Apologize for the threadjacking, but this quote is awesome!  I plan on whipping this one out whenever I get static from anyone for staying incenter.  It works for me now and I will change when it no longer works for me, not on anyone else's schedule. 

Please return to your scheduled thread now, pardon the interruption.   

We do what we must to live and more than that, live life. Dialysis works for me, I don't work for it.

[HouseOfDialysis]

That's the spirit, cattlekid!

Me, I don't think I'd do well with In-Center. Even if I do ever wind up on hemo, I'll likely do home-hemo. I prefer to be in charge of my life as much as possible. From dialysis to skydiving, I live life on my terms, no one else's. Well, sure, I take into my account my son and my wife, but they usually are okay with what I do.

Education, preparation, and following through. These apply to dialysis in not so usual circumstances as well as life in general.

[tbarrett2533]

Hi all!!! (just checking in)

its been over a week since I had my placement surgery......  things are going good & i am getting so excited to be one day closer to starting PD!!!.....


There is no pain at all now 
I am showering daily and simply cleaning the exit site daily

Until next time

 

[tbarrett2533]

Apologize for the threadjacking, but this quote is awesome!  I plan on whipping this one out whenever I get static from anyone for staying incenter.  It works for me now and I will change when it no longer works for me, not on anyone else's schedule. 

We do what we must to live and more than that, live life. Dialysis works for me, I don't work for it.

And I second this!!! What an awesome quote!!!  (and will most likely be my next Facebook status) don't worry I will be sure to footnote the author 

[tbarrett2533]

Yes, ma'am. That's me. Any help you need, let me know. I'll assist in any way I can, Doll.

I LOVE to go Antique shopping (which is my hobby  ) (Antiquing is usually far from home and all day outings (sometimes overnight) so that is when I will need to do exchanges in my car, when I am out looking for my "scores" 

I am not going to stop or limit what I love to do because of dialysis..... I am going to find ways or tricks to incorporate it into MY life or as far as I am concerned there is no point of living!!!!

So stayed tuned b/c I am going to need your advice and tips!!!!   

 

[HouseOfDialysis]

Word, Doll! Let me know, and I'll help to the best of my ability and experience.

[lmunchkin]

Just be careful guys! If you do it like you were told in training, then there shouldn't be a problem.  As long as you are aware of "sanitize, sanitize & sanitize!.  Ken is right though, pseudomonas peritonitis is a very wicked infection. Like Ken, my husband had it and fortunately caught it in time! They removed his catheter also!

That seems like a long time ago!

lmunchkin     

[tbarrett2533]

7-14-11

while at the D today the nurse changing my bandage informed me that it appears that I have puss coming from my exit site and that its really red.  She stated that it "appears" that I have the start of an infection........... Made an appt. with the surgeon for tomo at 1pm...... uggghhh I really hope that this is no indication of problems to come   

until next time

 

[lmunchkin]

Puss is a sign of some sort of infection!  Which kind will be determined by cultures.  What did your temperature show?  Is it running a little on the high side?  Are you feeling more weak than usual?  I hope and pray it is nothing, TB, but fear that it is some sort of infection!

Keep us posted on the matter!

lmunchkin     

[lmunchkin]

Culture' will determined the source also, if Im wrong on that, please someone correct me!

[Jie]

Sorry to hear about the infection. I guess my surgeon's restrictions during the first two weeks makes a lot of sense to prevent inflection.

[Willis]

while at the D today the nurse changing my bandage informed me that it appears that I have puss coming from my exit site and that its really red.  She stated that it "appears" that I have the start of an infection...........

About 3 weeks after my cath surgery I had the same thing. I was told it was not unusual and unless there is pain in the "tunnel" (indicating the infection is deeper), it's nothing to worry about unless ignored and neglected of course. I took an antibiotic for seven days and it cleared right up.

 

[YouDontKnowCecil]

Just found this thread. Read the whole thing! I have been on in center hemo for more than 9 years by now. I am still pretty scared of PD because of all the sugar that's gained and etc. My HbA1C is normal, but on the higher end of normal.

Hope you are doing well TBarrett.

[tbarrett2533]

7-19-11

so I had my first day of training yesterday (Baxter) and we made it to chapter 4.... so dry & boring but it has to be done 
I drained and filled the dummy 2 times with step by step instruction from Mandy (PD Nurse) learned and have already memorized "SEAL."     got some quick tips on cutting open the drain bags (to get rid of the fluid faster) after an exchange is complete   
we talked about my solution strength, & amount until my first PET test in two months, and we even discussed the cycler (which I might even consider) 

I have day two of training tomo from 7am-9am and will post how it goes......

It's getting closer and seems to be more of a reality now 
We anticipate August 1, 2011

until next time 

Oh yea I almost forgot.... no infection....... 
 

[Willis]

...and have already memorized "SEAL."

My PD nurse emphasized "SEAL" per the training manual too, but told me that she had never seen a bag that actually leaked ("L"). Of course, some condensation inside the outer wrapper is normal, but about 2 weeks after I started PD I pulled a bag out of the box and just before I tore open the wrapper I noticed it was full of fluid. One of the side-seals of the actual dianeal-fluid bag had split open...not a tear, but a separation right where the heat-sealed edges had failed and an obvious factory defect. I delivered the empty bag to my nurse and she said "Well, there's a first time for everything!"

BTW, after a while I figured out that there are two tear tabs on the corner of each bag. You just need to get these started enough so you can get your fingers into the tear and then the outer wrapper will rip right open. No instruments or scissors needed.

And yes it is a lot faster to cut a hole in the waste bags with scissors to drain...took me a few weeks to realize there had to be a better and faster way than just squeezing it all out the drain tube! 


 

[tbarrett2533]

I used the side of one of the blue clamps to cut open the bags yesterday & it cut through the bag effortlessy    but I will def look for these tabs and try them then go with whatever method is the easiest 

 

[HouseOfDialysis]

I've had one bag leak, but that was due to me snapping not the cone, but the bigger part beneath that. My bad! Other than that, no leaks.

[wbdoug]

Did my labs today. GFR 9 and creatinine 6.5 
Looks like I will be following in your footsteps real soon! Woopee.
Bill