new here and so very overwhelmed

[teresacrouch]

 Hello My name is Teresa I am partner for my husband he started HD in center 2/2016. we transitioned to home in November using the nxstage system. We are trying to get a routine going. I work full time 12 hour night shift In pediatric cancer hospital. So getting a routine has been challenging to say the least. We have 3daughter 25, 19 ,14 . They are amazing and completely involved in his care. I am so happy to have found this site with people being real and all the info it has so calmed me down to hear other peoples experiences. Because I am a Nurse I feel that I was expected to get this immediately.
 Hate HD but love that it keeps our family together
 

[SooMK]

Welcome Teresa!

[Charlie B53]

Welcome Teresa!
Your training help immensely to understand the importantance of establishing a regular treatment routine.  Getting s regular schedule and adjusting to the rigors of keeping every little thing in it's place can make a huge difference in both set-ups and running.  Problems will be expected to happen, having the configence and the necessary material supplies at hand make it much easier to handle those unexpected glitches.

He is very fortunate to have such a qualified and supportive partner and Family.

Take Care,

Charlie B53

[iolaire]

Welcome, I feel for those of you who work in a medical field requiring 12 hour shifts...

[Kathymac2]

Hi Teresa,

I'm a nurse too so I know what you mean about being expected to take in all the new information the first time it's explained. I always tell my husband not to mention that I am a nurse, but somehow it always comes out in the conversation.   He tells young people , "always marry a nurse who knows how to cook" (ha, ha).

Welcome to IHD. 

Kathy

[OldKritter]

welcome

[LorinnPKD]

Welcome, Theresa!

I'm so glad your daughters are active and involved -- that's simply wonderful and such a gift.

Lots of good information to be found here.

[Simon Dog]

Welcome to the club Theresa.

If your husband is up to it, tell him dialysis is his job.   My wife is an RN and, while it is comforting that she is around to assist if I have any problems, she does not participate in my treatment unless something goes wrong or I an injured and cannot do all setup/teardown tasks myself.   This really helps when I am due to finish dialysis a couple of hours after she has gone to bed.

[DayaraLee]

Welcome, Theresa. This is a wonderful community, and I agree completely with you - it gave me a sense of calm to realize that real people with real experiences are here and willing to share and answer my questions. 

[cassandra]

Welcome to the site Theresa

   



Take care, Cas

[Xplantdad]

Hi Teresa...welcome. The folks here are the best when it comes to NXStage home hemo. My daughter was only on it for a bit under a year before her transplant, but it was WAY better than in center

[teresacrouch]

  THANK YOU ALL So happy to have found IHD.

[PrimeTimer]

  Welcome to ihd, teresa! As a wife and nurse, you will probably find doing home hemo with your husband very rewarding. The benefits are nearly "instant". Good luck to you both!

[SuperHuman]

Hello Teresa,
I have been on home hemo Nxstage on and off many years. It does have it's ups and downs.
Your husband is so lucky with the type of a support structure like your family has! Sounds like he's in perfect hands! I have always for the most part done my home hemo dialysis
alone. It's very doable, though i don't expect anyone to just jump right into that, though sometimes patients do take advantage of caregivers, and literally want them to do
everything! Maybe your husband, if he is healthy enough.. maybe take a little more care into his own hands,.. he doesn't have to do it all, but maybe step up his game a bit!
If one person can do everything, five persons caring surely can find a working routine! The less important things, maybe the daughter can do ahead of time, you can make care packs
so you don't always have to get supplies ready. There is ways to save time, fill out flow sheets ahead of time, for the things that will always be the same. Just think about how
you can save some time doing these treatments, and I'm sure you will come up with at least a dozen time saving solutions!

[Michael Murphy]

Welcome, ESRD is a strange problem cause in reality it effects the entire family.  While family support is vital it also need to be understood.  It is important to also make time for children and more importantly yourself.  You have a high stress job and a high stress role in your husbands care,  remember to allocate some me time to recharge your self.

[Mbrownokc]

"Because I am a Nurse I feel that I was expected to get this immediately. "
Hon just because you know certain things don't mean this is an easy transition at all. I'm learning this myself because as nurses, we think we've seen it/done it all but it's completely different when it's not just dealing with it the few hours you are at work. This is a 24 hour a day job basically if you think about it. It will get easier as time goes on but please remember there is such a thing as caregiver burn out and try to give yourself some time to adjust and acclimate. If you don't get it,  let the dialysis team know so they can try to help you a little bit until you find your "zone" once you get it, you got it. Keep your head up.