How many of you cannulate your loved one?

[bevvy5]

Any tips?  We've successfully done the home hemo training - Canadians so no NxStage, it's a fridge size beauty we have named HAL that is permanently camped in our bedroom.

Hubby's fistula is mature enough now so are having buttonholes established.  His hands shake somewhat so I am the chosen one.  Frankly this part terrifies me more than anything else.  I was hopeful he would be able to do it, but after one try, he said no.

Our training nurse who is an absolute gem has done the first eight sticks.  My turn to try on Friday.  I've read as much as I can find and watched some webinars by Stuart Mott over on Home dialysis.

Any tips or reassurance would be appreciated.  Already have a supply of Ativan laid in - LOL!!

[boswife]

dang i wish i wasnt so tired out but i'll give this a shot.  I was terrified of needles, and actually still am.... except for Dialysis needles   You may? just try to picture it as how wonderful it is that you are able to give him this gift.  I picture it just going down the tunnel and thats that.  Well, im really very tired this eve but will try someore for ya at a later time...  All the best   it's really something that it quite ok... hugs and wish i had more in me tonight for ya..

[Hemodoc]

I threaten to cannulate my wife all the time, but for some reason she won't let me. LOL

[MooseMom]

I threaten to cannulate my wife all the time, but for some reason she won't let me. LOL

Maybe she'd let you if you'd pick up your socks.

[lmunchkin]

I cannulate my husband.  Ive never had a "real" fear of needles or blood.  When I knew I was going to have to do this, I secretly injected strawberries, tomatoes..cause they were similar to what his arm is like.

You can try practicing like that too, even though it is not the real thing, it is somewhat similar!  Once you do it several times, it gets easier over time!

Good luck to you and let us know how it is going!

I threaten to cannulate my wife all the time, but for some reason she won't let me. LOL

Maybe she'd let you if you'd pick up your socks.

Alright you two!!!!!

lmunchkin
 

[bevvy5]

Thanks for the good thoughts.  I'm not afraid of blood or needles, just not knowing exactly what it should feel like is kind of freaking me out. 

And perhaps I will threaten to make him do it himself if he doesn't start picking up his socks - LOL!!

Will definitely be checking in tomorrow when we get home.

[MooseMom]

Bevvy, I hope boswife will come back on and share her experience.  She actually made an ARM on which to practice!!!  It's brilliant!

Look, the truth is that it is a freaky thing to have to do.  There's no way to spin it.  But it's amazing the things that people learn to do so that they can get on with life.  Like most things, it's a skill that you will practice, and practice makes perfect.  I'm really eager to hear how things go tomorrow. 

[Hemodoc]

I highly recommend discussing these issues with Stuart Mott at Home Dialysis Central on their ask the experts section. He has great information on self cannulating and teaching cannulation. He is the go to expert on this issue.  Good luck.

Peter

[bevvy5]

I highly recommend discussing these issues with Stuart Mott at Home Dialysis Central on their ask the experts section. He has great information on self cannulating and teaching cannulation. He is the go to expert on this issue.  Good luck.

Peter

I have watched the webinars on cannulation by him.  Agree that it is all helpful - at least in theory as I haven't actually tried it out yet.  Our training nurse uses the wings when she cannulates, I've discussed with her the "touch" method and she's good with that.  In playing around with a needle, I think it will give much more control.  Again, it's all theory for me at this point.

[del]

Hi bevvy,  We live in Canada too and hubby has been using one of those "fridge size " machines for over 5 years.  I'm surprised that your training nurse hasn't had you cannulating already and forming the buttonholes.  I actually started needling hubby at the unit before we started training.  The training nurse said that even if I hadn't already been needling I would have started as soon as the training started. 
I had butterflies in my belly at first!!  One of the nurses at the unit gave me a piece of plastic tubing and some needles for me to practice.  Once I needled him a few times it was like a normal everyday thing.  Thinking about doing it is a lot worse that actually doing it.  Where in Canada are you bevvy.  I'm in Newfoundland.

Good luck!!  You will do fine!!

[bevvy5]

We live about an hour outside Vancouver so opposite coast, basically.

Hubby was on PD for a couple of years.  In December of 2010, his neph started preparing him that he was likely looking at HD.  Set up a consult with the vascular surgeon for a fistula and as things go here north of the 49th, that surgery didn't actually get done until September of 2011.   He started HD after he ended up in hospital in late September - just lots of issues as PD just wasn't doing it for him.  We started training for home hemo in October using his perm cath.  Adding in a vacation to Hawaii in January, the decision was made to wait until we got back to start needling the fistula.

I keep telling myself that other people do it.  I'm a reasonably competent person in most things.  Hoping I'm freaking myself out for no reason. 

[bevvy5]

Well, 50 percent success.  Could not get the arterial needle.  Our training nurse, who I think was as nervous as I was, had a devil of a time as well.  The vessel just seemed to keep moving and rolling.

But after some patience (and especially on the part of my husband), did get the venous needle in.  Our nurse, what a love, said very few people get it the first time.  I expect she was saying that to make me feel good, but it sure did feel good.

Have a much better idea of the resistance and that slide once it's in.  I think once my heart stops pounding so I can actually feel his fistula instead of my own pulse, I'll do better.  But at least I know it can be done.

Thanks so much.

[Hemodoc]

Well, 50 percent success.  Could not get the arterial needle.  Our training nurse, who I think was as nervous as I was, had a devil of a time as well.  The vessel just seemed to keep moving and rolling.

But after some patience (and especially on the part of my husband), did get the venous needle in.  Our nurse, what a love, said very few people get it the first time.  I expect she was saying that to make me feel good, but it sure did feel good.

Have a much better idea of the resistance and that slide once it's in.  I think once my heart stops pounding so I can actually feel his fistula instead of my own pulse, I'll do better.  But at least I know it can be done.

Thanks so much.

The virgin cannulation is always the hardest. I couldn't sleep much the night before just thinking about it and you did better than me, I made a false channel and had to have the tech stick me that day. Got it the second time I believe. Not a fun time, but well worth the effort once you learn how to stick yourself. Gives you quite a sense of independence. That is just the beginning.

Good luck and keep at it.

God bless,

Peter

[boswife]

dont know if these will come out, or how they'll look  lol   It's been a while since i looked at them.... And, i see im too late anyway    But........ thought it a good time to post a pic so here goes..
 

Ok, i see ONe of the ones i tried to post came out.. so let me explain why this was really good for me.  At first, i would canulate while 'seeing' the "fistula" (thats whats shown, already cannulated)  and then, i covered the 'fistula' with tape as well, so i couldnt 'see' it but only  'feel' where it was.  It gave a really accurate 'feel' of actually doing it to him (as i was to find out once i actually did my first cannulation).  I got it first time on the A, and we had to move the V as neither i nor 5 tech/nurses could get it.  From there out, i made the buttonhole myself, and it as been smooth.. (i then put my fears to the machine..lol)

[MooseMom]

As long as your first try wasn't a complete disaster, and it wasn't, then I'd say this was a successful day!  Well done!  I don't think it is reasonable to expect complete success on your first try...that'd give you a false sense of security.

[looneytunes]

Congratulations on your 1st success!  I also used to cannulate my hubs fistula but after several months I encouraged (is that a tactful way to say "insisted"?) him to learn to do it himself.  It took a lot of stress off me because when I could tell it hurt him, I would do it...hook him up....then leave the room and burst into tears as soon as I was out of sight.  So, now he does his own and I just assist if needed.  Best wishes to you both! 

[del]

If the buttonholes are already formed you are going to have to get used to the track.  I established the buttonholes so I knew exactly where the track was.  Our training nurse tried to put the needles in one morning and she had problems.  That's why I feel that anybody doing buttonholes in center should always have the same person do the needling or better yet needle themselves.

[Hemodoc]

Learn Touch Cannulation early and save yourself months of problems. It works and works well. It essentially finds its own path.

[bevvy5]

I have been attempting that, have watched the webinar and read the info by Stuart Mott several times..  Using the tubing, not the wings and rotating back and forth.  Will be attempting again on Monday - basically we need to be able to cannulate twice, then we're allowed and expected to go home. Mostly practice and patience, I think.  But I do feel much better today.  Very glad I was at least partly successful yesterday or I would have been stressing myself to a panic attack this weekend.

[bevvy5]

Got one out of two yesterday at training.  Our nurse was fine with attempting today at home, basically felt the technique is right, it's just a question of getting the feel, angle, etc.

Very VERY happy to report that Greg's dialyzing now here at home using his fistula.  Only took about 10 minutes, don't know if we were lucky or good, but we will take it.

Thank you all so so much for the positive encouragement.  This is such a hugely helpful place to come.  Just the feeling that others have been able to do these things really helped me to "woman up" and envision it happening. 

[lmunchkin]

Way to go Bev. Now  and relax!  Snuggle up beside him and enjoy your time together!

lmunchkin
 

[bevvy5]

Thanks.  We are ordering pizza and putting on the hockey game - doesn't get much better than that!!

[bevvy5]

Just posting with another big thank you.  Been coming up a month and cannulation is going great.  Had one long session about a week after we came home but when we figured out that Greg needs to move his arm slightly betwen the two needles, we were away.  Now we pretty much get it first stab, maybe two.

The sick sense of dread I had for the first two weeks is gone.  Now it's just something that needs to be done like making the coffee or walking the dog - LOL!!

So thanks so much for all the support.