Leak!

[Whamo]

   Yesterday my connection tube got a leak.  I thought I was infected.  I went to the kidney center, they fixed it, gave me anti-biotics, and I had to wait 8 hours before starting my 10 hour treatment.  I didn't last that long.  I ended the treatment after the second
drain/fill, which was really the 4th of the day.  Dodged a bullet, as I didn't get infected.  They say everyone gets infected eventually, it's just a matter of time.  I'm in no hurry.  Be sure to keep clamps handy for emergenvcies.  I used a paper clip yesterday.

[solid98]

Leak at the connection or a hole in the tube?

[Whamo]

A hole in the tube.  Which is strange because I got a new tube the week before.

[Charlie B53]

You handled it well.  Any possible contamination is treated to reduced to risk of infection.   There is a thread somewhere here some laugh, some cringe, but I handled it, did my treatment anyway, then went in.  It all came out well in the end.

I started hemo today, after over three and a half years on PD, I got an infection in Sept. I suspect that it was ME, contacted a fitting during set up.  It cleared up with treatment but returned two weeks later.   Three weeks treatment then it returned in only TWO days.  It must be a very bad little bug, hiding within the threads of the cath inside me so that was removed today.   Hopefully I will have another implanted in a couple three months and restart PD.  Til then I'll learn a lot about hemo.

Hope this helps you continue to be very careful.

[Simon Dog]

If youa re on PD, it is worth getting an antibiotic kit from your team.   This will not allow you to fully self-treat an infection, but you can (generally after an OK from your home care RN) start a fill with the antibiotic before heading to the ER so that the microbes are already under attack while you wait for everyone's kid with a scraped knee in the ER.

[Whamo]

   Yesterday I had another emergency.  I fell asleep on the couch waiting for a Baxter delivery.  The phone rings.  I get up, and notice a wet stain near my groin.  My connector on my tube was open, and water gushing out from both ends. 
Naturally this freaked me out.  Less than a week before I had a leak, and now the nightmare was returning.  I clamped it up, quick, and drove through the rain to my kidney center.   The same nurse that connected me before repaired it, and gave me
anti-biotics, again.  After eight hours of dwelling, I started my ten hour dialysis routine.  This morning I got the lab test, no bugs!  Dodged a bullet, again.  It's cold and wet in San Bernardino.  Less than a week ago it was 70 and sunny.   My mother is
91, and under quarantine in her expensive retirement home.  The flu is so bad it killed one of her fellow seniors at the place.  On a positive note, I passed my phosphorus blood test for the third month in a row.  Woo hoo.

[cassandra]

Geeez Whamo, well handled emergency I'd say.
Have a good Xmas, and start taking pro/pre biotics if you aren't allready

Have a good Xmas, love, Cas

[kitkatz]

Where are you in San Bernardino?  I live in Rialto.  Hey neighbor?