Rainstorms -Love'Em-Hate'Em

[PrimeTimer]

Before we started doing home-hemo, I use to actually love a good rainstorm now and then. I use to love listening to the dripping sound coming from the raingutters and the sound and feel of thunder, rumbling and shaking the walls and then waiting for lightening to light up the bedroom late at night, making it's shadows flash and dance across the walls. I use to love running outside just before a storm and smelling the rain coming, that sort of dusty musty smell ahead of a storm. And sometimes, because it was so gosh-darn hot, I loved actually stepping out into the rain and just letting it soak me, as if without a care in the world. Now...I must confess. A dread comes over me if I hear storms are in the forecast. I fear the dread of a power outage and having to perform a "manual rinseback" of my husband's blood and him not getting a full treatment. I dread the power going off and ruining a newly made batch of dialysate in the Pureflow machine in the middle of the night. I dread the feeling of dread...Oh, don't get me wrong, I know how to do a manual rinseback and we keep the place equipped with all kinds of flashlights and battery-operated "pop up" lights and if we had to, we could always hang bags and do treatment later if a SAK gets ruined but....would be such a pain. But, I guess when I look at the big picture, it wouldn't be the end of the world if we had to delay treatment until a storm passed or because we had to hang bags or even wait until the next day. At least it's all still very doable. Just hoping to somehow find a way to let old feelings of yearning for a good rainstorm to once again be doable, too...

[Rerun]

We have been pounded with storms and lightning and then half the state burned up here in Eastern WA.  People have been out of power for weeks at a time.  Luckily, I live in the city so no power outages for more than a few hours.  The dialysis center does not have a generator.  They say the machines use so much power they could not run all 10.

[Simon Dog]

Just think of the Thunder Song.

[PrimeTimer]

We have been pounded with storms and lightning and then half the state burned up here in Eastern WA.  People have been out of power for weeks at a time.  Luckily, I live in the city so no power outages for more than a few hours.  The dialysis center does not have a generator.  They say the machines use so much power they could not run all 10.

Rerun: Thanks for putting things into perspective for me! Now I feel like a horse's arse but I needed it! Given "all things sucky", I think if my husband had to go without dialysis for more than a day because of a power outage or because our home or the center burned down or was blown away by storms would be far, far worse. I feel for those people in Eastern Washington, as Washington holds a special place in my heart... and always will. I saw in the news that because of the wildfires, some of those areas are now having mudslides. That mudslide (earlier) in Oso was terrible. And now E. Washington being all burnt up. Keep safe!

[PrimeTimer]

Just think of the Thunder Song.

   Second thought, I watched the youtube. Hope you're not giving me the finger...

[Simon Dog]

They say the machines use so much power they could not run all 10.

Inaccurate - just get a bigger generator.   They have units that fit on 18 wheelers that could run way more than 10 machines.   Even the Hoover Dam only runs 17 generators.   The real answer is "we have chosen not to make the investment necessary to provide generator power".

  Second thought, I watched the youtube. Hope you're not giving me the finger...

I'm relieved the mods did not warn me for the reference.   No finger intended.

I fear the dread of a power outage and having to perform a "manual rinseback" of my husband's blood and him not getting a full treatment.

I have a generator, but I would not have it on in time to avoid the need for a manual rinseback.  My plan if that happens is terminate early, and just do a treatment on my next scheduled "off day" to catch up.   Plus, on average, one will have 1/2 a treatment done when there is a power failure.

[obsidianom]

They say the machines use so much power they could not run all 10.

Inaccurate - just get a bigger generator.   They have units that fit on 18 wheelers that could run way more than 10 machines.   Even the Hoover Dam only runs 17 generators.   The real answer is "we have chosen not to make the investment necessary to provide generator power".

  Second thought, I watched the youtube. Hope you're not giving me the finger...

I'm relieved the mods did not warn me for the reference.   No finger intended.

I fear the dread of a power outage and having to perform a "manual rinseback" of my husband's blood and him not getting a full treatment.

I have a generator, but I would not have it on in time to avoid the need for a manual rinseback.  My plan if that happens is terminate early, and just do a treatment on my next scheduled "off day" to catch up.   Plus, on average, one will have 1/2 a treatment done when there is a power failure.

We live deep in the northern woods so power outages are common and can last awhile. So we have a generator that I keep well stocked with gas and ready to go. I test it every few months if not used. I have it rigged so I can get it going and connect the dialysis macine quickly in under 2 minutes to keep dialysis going . I run a test trial every once in wahile to make sure.
Everyone who can , should have a generator. Self sufficiency makes you feel better and in more control. We once had no power for 13 days in a big ice storm back in 1998 . Our self sufficiency saved us from having to leave home or go to a shelter and freezing our pipes. We heat with wood I cut down from trees here. I cut 31 trees this year for wood for 2 winters . I do it all myself by hand . The only machine is my chainsaw. I split with a 16 pound steel maul by hand and bring it into the covered porch with a wheel barrow. It takes all summer but its worth it.

[PrimeTimer]

They say the machines use so much power they could not run all 10.

Inaccurate - just get a bigger generator.   They have units that fit on 18 wheelers that could run way more than 10 machines.   Even the Hoover Dam only runs 17 generators.   The real answer is "we have chosen not to make the investment necessary to provide generator power".

  Second thought, I watched the youtube. Hope you're not giving me the finger...

I'm relieved the mods did not warn me for the reference.   No finger intended.

I fear the dread of a power outage and having to perform a "manual rinseback" of my husband's blood and him not getting a full treatment.

I have a generator, but I would not have it on in time to avoid the need for a manual rinseback.  My plan if that happens is terminate early, and just do a treatment on my next scheduled "off day" to catch up.   Plus, on average, one will have 1/2 a treatment done when there is a power failure.

Ahem...the guy also farted and sleeps with a big toy teddy bear in the video, both of which could be found more offensive to some than the finger.

[PrimeTimer]

obsidianom: NxStage is accepting nominations for "Home-Dialysis Nurse Hero Of The Year". Perhaps we ought to nominate YOU!