Saw lots of my blood this week

[Bajanne]

Had two accident days - Wednesday and Friday.  On Wednesday, I rested my head back, my feet came up, and when I looked, my needle had come out.  BLOOD!!!!!!  When they cleaned me up, I had to wear a hospital gown home!
then Friday, when the nurse was washing me back, she forgot to clamp before she unded the tube. BLOOD!  but not so much as Wed, and I didn't have to wear a hospital gown!

[goofynina]

That probably would've totally freaked me out    I am glad they had a hospital gown to give you at least 

[boxman55]

Had two accident days - Wednesday and Friday. On Wednesday, I rested my head back, my feet came up, and when I looked, my needle had come out. BLOOD!!!!!! When they cleaned me up, I had to wear a hospital gown home!
then Friday, when the nurse was washing me back, she forgot to clamp before she unded the tube. BLOOD! but not so much as Wed, and I didn't have to wear a hospital gown!

This is another reason I am nervous about the start of my working fistula I have used a chest cath since Aug '06  Boxman55

[Sluff]

I'm just glad Bajanne that you went home! kind of scary if you ask me.

[Bajanne]

It wasn't scary at all.  Not that much of my blood was lost.  Just uncomfortable to feel my blood soaking through my blouse!

[AlasdairUK]

Depending on your HB levels, I would get them to check what it is. If you have lost blood on two recent occasions it might have dropped. On Monday my line clotted as I was coming off and did not get washed back as a result and my HB dropped by 0.8.

[Rerun]

That is why I don't move my are at all!  It is like someone cut it off and it is laying beside me.  I'm afraid the needles will come out with all that pressure.  Although they tape them down pretty good.

Glad you are alright!   

[RichardMEL]

Yes I try very hard to not move at all (the arm) during sessions just in case.

The other thing about blood is that even a little bit can look a lot worse than it is... so you might think there is heaps coming out when it might only be a few ml's (well ok, maybe a bit more).

that would have been horrid to have the needle come out and have your blood soaking in everywhere... I'm glad you got a gown at least...

Could you get the blood out of your blouse???

[Bajanne]

Yes, I got the blood out of my blouse quite easily.
One of my problems is that I am allergic to the tape that holds the best.  For some reason, the paper tape  which holds strongly gives me a rash.  So they have to use this plasticky one that does not stick well (except to the nurses' gloves!).  I am surprised that the plasticky one is the one my skin can tolerate.   When I had the catheter in, that lovely looking clear plastic that they used to put over it made a mess of my skin!
As the old people say "When it isn't one thing, it's the other!"

[renal30yrs]

That is freaky indeed.  About ten days ago the tubing became loose and disconnected itself from the dialyzer.  It took some time before the techs reconnected the tubes.  While this was happening I was watching "Omen" on tv.

[Panda_9]

Depending on your HB levels, I would get them to check what it is. If you have lost blood on two recent occasions it might have dropped. On Monday my line clotted as I was coming off and did not get washed back as a result and my HB dropped by 0.8.

8 isnt a huge drop. Your Hb will be naturally lower after dialysis anyway.

bajanne2000, do they have yukiban tape over there? It looks similar to micropore. The stuff we get is skin coloured. I am also allergic to micropore. I made a post ages ago with pictures of how I tape my needles. It keeps them very secure, and I do do alot of wriggling around and hardly keep my arm still!

[nextnoel]

Wow, glad you're OK! 

[DeLana]

This brings back memories - in my clinic days*, we once had to send a patient home in an isolation gown, I forget what had happened - clamp undone, excessive bleeding post-dialysis, it must have been one of those.  I don't recall ever having a needle come out (we taped them VERY well, and only to the patient, never to the chair!), but do remember dialyzer connectors getting loose if not connected well; this was caught before it completely came undone!  (If so, if they stop the blood pump immediately the blood loss should be minimal.  This is NOT a common thing to happen, most workers learn quickly to tighten all blood line connectors very well.

I just wanted to add that a small amount of blood can look like a LOT, as others have said.  Just to prove it to myself I once spilled various amounts of water on concrete to see how large a stain they would make.  It was very enlightening.

DeLana 

*I now work in an inpatient/acute unit

 

[tubes]

thats scary bajanne2000.  i freak out whenever i see blood. in the tubing is ok but leaking or spilling i freak.  as one patient put it, "i couldn't handle being a woman".
after im hooked up, i always ask the nurse to tape my arm.  sometimes when i sleep i wake myself because i jerk my arm. so now i have them tape me down.
 it freaks me out when i leak around the needle.  i will ask to be taken off 30 mins early.  i cant handle it when i start to leak...i just cant....

a couple months ago the nurse was disconnecting me.  she clamped the line, but the tubing had slid to the side so it wasn't clamped all the way.  i about flipped sh*t.  blood all over me, the floor, my blanket and pillow.  ugh, i hate days like that.

we have one guy at the unit that moves his arm every which a way.  bending his elbow putting his arm behind his head, reaching down and picking stuff up.  he has infiltrated his arm.  the needle has poked through in a different spot.  he continues to do it....as long as they dont sit him by me...oh dear god, keep him away from me. 

[tamara]

Had two accident days - Wednesday and Friday. On Wednesday, I rested my head back, my feet came up, and when I looked, my needle had come out. BLOOD!!!!!! When they cleaned me up, I had to wear a hospital gown home!
then Friday, when the nurse was washing me back, she forgot to clamp before she unded the tube. BLOOD! but not so much as Wed, and I didn't have to wear a hospital gown!

Maybe everyone in clinic can learn from this and save the embarassment of wearing  a hospital gown home, are you able to leave certain personal belongings at your clinic? , maybe some spare clothes wouldn't go astray...............................        OR   

[kitkatz]

If you drive to dialysis, keep an extra change of clothes in the car.

[bluedove57]

One drop of blood goes a long way. Once the nurse was taking the needles out and when she pulled the arterial and applied pressure the venus shot out and stabed her in the hand. There was a stream of blood going like a fat water ballon with a hole in it. What a mess cause I couldn't let the arterial go to stop the venus. Lesson learned for that nurse.