Guess Who Is In-Patient AGAIN!

[Charlie B53]

Stopped the Vicomyacin Thursday after completing the full 21 days.  Stopped the other  a week ago policy was to tke that one for only 14 days. noon I laid down for a nap after eating only two chicken strips.s afternoon I s after Never missed a dose.

This afternoon I ate two chicken tenders and one potatoe wedge, laid down for a nap.  Woke up in a couple of hours chilled, shivering, my belly very tense and tender.   Had the Mrs get the clean jar and took a sample.

Qwap, Cloudy.   Only TWP DAYS after finishing the antibiotics this time.

Drove my usual 90 to 95 over an hour to the VA Hospital, again.

They will dose my bags for a couple of days, then into Surgery next week.  The PD Cath will come out.  I will get a shiny new venous cath and start hemo.  Don't know where, when, or how long yet.

Hopefully one day in the not too distant future I will get another PD Cath and return to PD at home.

[Jean]

Awww, so sorry Charlie, keep your chin up. We will all be praying for you and thinking of you.  Hang tough!!!

[DayaraLee]

Charlie, I'm very sorry to hear this news! Sending positive thoughts your way for quick healing and strong hope that your change in mode will be temporary and brief. 

[Michael Murphy]

Sorry to hear about your troubles, one question why not install a fistula, you wouldn't be able to use it for six month but from then on you would have a better choice then a cath.

[myporkchop]

Wishing u well charlie. How frustrating for u. Sorry to hear about this xx

[kickingandscreaming]

Sorry, Charlie. So disappointing that the abx didn't work this time.  Wishing you a easy transition to and back from hemo.  At least with a chest catheter you won't be poked with needles.  That's something (and in that way beats a fistula).  Speedy recovery.

[MooseMom]

As my mom used to say when she was frustrated and knew I was within earshot, "Crush a grape!"

This is really disappointing news.  I hope you can vanquish the bugs again, this time for good.

[cassandra]

Sorry to hear that Charlie.

Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery.


       


Love, luck and strength, Cas

[PrimeTimer]

Get well soon, Charlie! Hope you are not in the hospital long and will get to "keep all your marbles". (better have your grandson bring them to you).

[Fabkiwi06]

Oh no! What a major pain in the rear! Sending good thoughts that the removal and chest cath placement goes smoothly. Hemo isn't the end of the world - I caught up on a lot of reading during my three hour sessions. Hopefully it will be temporary for you.

[Charlie B53]

lol  I took G'son into my computer room and showed him my jar of marbles I have had stashed for many years.  Added the ones from my pocket and talked him into adding the huge steel one we just took out of a big float switch.  I think he will be adding more as he collects them.  One day they will all be his.

Dr's already made the referral to Surgery, want it done ASAP.  If they don't bring me breakfast I'll know it is getting near.  Doc says it could be three months IF I get another PD Cath.  This may seem like a long time, but hopefully this too shall pass, eventually.

On the Cycler with dosed bags tonight, now.  This could be the last time for a while.

Yes Fabkiwi, it is a good thing we like to read.

[Simon Dog]

If they don't bring me breakfast I'll know it is getting near.

When PD failed for me, I was being dialyzed on a femoral cath.  They had a tricky time getting two surgeons and the OR booked (one to take the PD cath out; the other to put a vas cath in).   They tormented me for several days holding breakfast, and finally around 2PM or so saying "not today, you can have dinner" .... then it started all over again the next morning.






sp mod Cas

[Michael Murphy]

Simon when I was in for the three operations recently I was left with no meals for days.  It turned out that between going to dialysis, or other heart related tests I never was around to fill in a meal sheet. That and the conflicts in a renal versus heart diet further delayed the delivery of food. The occasional turkey sandwich was just no cutting it.  Finaly I got into the Grub Hub app on my iPad and ordered a meal(broiled scrod, cole slaw, salad, green beans and a roll) delivered.  This did not go over well with the staff ( I think the nurses thought it was funny) one of the administrators and the dietician showed up from then on I got my meals even when I was away for my procedure. Paid for the meal which I never got, why screw the vendor, but was well worth it because it got the problem fixed.

[Simon Dog]

What a great solution.   

One of the hospitals I'm in had the snack station in a staff room so you had to get a RN or aide if you wanted a snack (good luck with that).  The big city hospital where I am listed keeps a fridge and toaster on each floor so ambulatory patients can help themselves to juices, apple sauce, toast and turkey sammiches.  They also operate food on a room service basis - call any time up to 6PM and food will be delivered in about 45 minutes.

[Xplantdad]

Hope everything goes well for you, Charley!

[Charlie B53]

Vascular Surgeons finally came and talked about what's to happen.  They will reopen the scars from putting in the PD cath to take it back out but will not completely close the wounds, packing to allow drainage for a while.  Don't know how long that will be yet.

I asked if they would be putting in the PermaCath while I was knocked out.  Not usually, too great of risk for cross contamination, but they are still undecided as Renal wants it in ASAP.

Renal wants me to do Hemo at least twice before I am allowed out of here.

One of them just came back for the release signature, and gave me a date.  Early Friday morning.  This is only Monday.  I'm gonna be over a week this time.

Oh, and Nurse told me today I am officially fluid restricted.   Oh?   Makes me wonder just how much 2000 is.  I got a 32 oz foam McDonald's cup at home I use for ice water, anywhere from one to three times in 24 hours depending on weather, heat, activity. This going to be a totally new learning experience when it gets here.  Until then there will be a lot more of what I did in the Army long ago.

Hurry up and wait.






sp mod Cas

[Charlie B53]

Nurses finally got a room assigned across the street at University Hospital.  I am packed and waiting the transport person to come roll me over.

The Perma Cath will be put in tomorrow morning and the PD Cath removed Fri morning.  Afterwards I should be moved back over here to the VA Hospital.

The waiting is getting shorter.

[kickingandscreaming]

Hope it goes well for you.  Removing a PD cath and installing a Perma Cath are both relatively simple procedures (I've had both), so hopefully they will go off without a snag.  Then you "just" have to get rid of that nasty infection so you can go back to PD--with greater care this time.  But it's never fun to be surgified.

[Charlie B53]

6p.m. Finally, Dr's came by my room and confirmed most everything I already know.  Now he will write all orders so I can have dinner, meds, etc. Nothing after midnight then they will be after me early morning.  Ditto tomorrow night and Friday morning get this cath out.
The waiting is getting shorter.

Both procedures would be soo much easier if I didn't have this 'thing' about needles. LOL  Oh, well.  Necessary evil.

Both should go just fine.  I am just a wimp at times.  At least University has far more TV Channels than the VA.  I keep it on but not watching, mostly the noise helps drown out the constant ringing in my ears/head.

VA has a coffee pot on each floor.  University has a Coffee Shop open inside the front door.  I don't know if/when it closes, but they have snacks, some food, and PASTERIES.  I better stay out of there.  Smells great as I walk by to go out front to smoke.  OK, I admit, I did go in.  But I ONLY bought a large cup of coffee. And got out!

[Fabkiwi06]

careful with those large cups of coffee... thats how i overdid it on my fluid restriction. it sneaks up on you, and hemo isnt as forgiving as pd is with extra fluid.

my permacath placement was really fast... I feel like I had just closed my eyes for a second and I was finished. Not too sore after either, which surprised me. i'll be thinking good thoughts for you!

[PrimeTimer]

Good luck with your surgical procedures Friday. Since you are fluid restricted, maybe the nurse can bring you ice cubes. Might want to get ice cube trays for your home freezer, unless yours comes with an ice maker. My husband sucks on ice cubes to help control his fluid, works good. Hope you are home real soon and resting in your own bed. If you look anything like Santa Claus, maybe you could tell the kids over in the childrens ward that you are one of Santa's "wayward cousins" and perhaps pass on a Christmas message to them. You could have a little fun with that....think about it..hee hee...Well, behave yourself so you can get back home to your wife and family. Christmas will be here before we know it!  Hope the VA is treating you well, you deserve it, i may be late but thank you for serving our country, Charlie, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! Because of men like you we get to vote and have choice of freedom. I have 3 flags now certified that were flown on missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and tons of letters from soldiers I adopted over the years, I am grateful to each and every one of you. So I really hope your stay at the hospital is a short one so that you may enjoy the holiday season at home. Will be thinkin' of you....

[kickingandscreaming]

careful with those large cups of coffee

Coffee is actually the worst liquid to drink when you have to limit fluids.  It's very dehydrating so your cells don't get any hydration from it. And it uses up your fluid quota without doing much.

[Charlie B53]

The duretic effects may have a part in my limiting myself to no more than 2 cups in the morning.  Used to drink the whole 12 cup pot.

Who am I kidding, I cut back because much caffeine and my heart starts skipping beats.  THAT feels strange!

Fortunately I've always liked cold water.

Almost finished with Last Fill.  Tech was very late bring the machine and setting up last night.  This very well may be my Last Fill.  Don't know if I will be doing PD tonight, and cannot tomorrow night as PD Cath will be gone.   IF I indeed have PD tonight there will be no Last Fill as I'm sure they will want me 'dry' to remove that cath.  I can only imagine the mess if I weren't!

Tech was very late getting me started last night.  I should have been done already.  While I'm writing this Transport has walked in, ready to take me to the cath lab.  Sorry, still draining, about to switch to Last Fill.

[kickingandscreaming]

Caffeine is also bad for blood sugar.  It raises it and then plunges it. 

[Charlie B53]

I didn't know that either.  So my cutting back to only those one or two cups in the morning along with my cinimon graham crackers and ginger snaps was perhaps not a bad thing after all.  And I limit the crackers and cookies.  I could eat a whole lot, but don't need that much.