Anyone Effected by the NYC Power Outages??

[angieskidney]

I was just wondering if anyone was effected by the NYC power outages since I was effected by the one back in 2003 when I was on the PD Cycler (power went out for 3 days!). This time it was bigger but I wasn't effected (I am glad because I am on HD now).

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/08/14/power.outage/

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-24-nyc-blackouts_x.htm

http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=100807

I was only out for 3 hrs after midnight on a night I was actually able to go to sleep early .. go figure .. 


So was anyone else effected besides me on here?

[Mom3]

We had one when I visited in N Va a week or so ago...

Do clinics in other areas have their own generators..? Really bugs me that SC clinics don't have generators and are shut down by power outages. The annual ice storm is always a problem! Here being on hemo is not any better!

Mom 3

[kitkatz]

We are having the usual Southern California rolling blackouts.  They shut parts of the grid down to conserve power in some areas forcing us to save on electricity.  We have not been affected at home yet, but expect it anyday now. That's So CA greedy litle b***!

[angieskidney]

Wow I would think this was a serious problem considering we as dialysis patients NEED the electricity! My unit does have a generator but I don't know how long it could run for since when my city was effected by the NY power outage in 2003 I was still on PD (CCPD) the at home Cycler .. I just had to do CAPD instead .. with cold dialysate bags

[Mom3]

Is that (cold dialysis bags) as bad as it sounds??

Mom 3

[Hawkeye]

Do clinics in other areas have their own generators..?
Mom 3

1 of about 15 clinics in my area has a generator.  Not very good odds if there were a power outage or natural disaster.  Then again I can kinda understand that too.  The size of generator that would be needed to run a 28 chair facilities dialysis machines, lights, and water system would have to be huge.  Most of us in my area are lumped in office buildings or stripmalls.  There really is no place to locate a generator of that size in our situations.

[angieskidney]

Is that (cold dialysis bags) as bad as it sounds??

Mom 3

It just gives you cramps

I couldn't afford it at the time but it is always good to have some sort of power backup.

But if you ever have to do dialysis (PD) cold it is not so bad. Just the cramps but hell ... a lot better than cramps on HD

Do clinics in other areas have their own generators..?
Mom 3

1 of about 15 clinics in my area has a generator.  Not very good odds if there were a power outage or natural disaster.  Then again I can kinda understand that too.  The size of generator that would be needed to run a 28 chair facilities dialysis machines, lights, and water system would have to be huge.  Most of us in my area are lumped in office buildings or stripmalls.  There really is no place to locate a generator of that size in our situations.

Hmm... every unit in my Country has a backup generator .. I just thought that was manditory ..

[Hawkeye]

Hmm... every unit in my Country has a backup generator .. I just thought that was mandatory ..

You would think so, but that's not how it works in the states.

[Bajanne]

Interesting thread, and coincidentally, when I was on dialysis on Wednesday, there was a power outage (the first since I was on dialysis). There was just a split second and then the generator kicked in.  However, while the newer Fresenius machines took it in their stride,  the older ones had to be reset [I happened to be on a newer on.]
The haemodialysis unit is in a brand new spanking bright section of our hospital and there are some HUGE generators there.

[angieskidney]

Interesting thread, and coincidentally, when I was on dialysis on Wednesday, there was a power outage (the first since I was on dialysis). There was just a split second and then the generator kicked in.  However, while the newer Fresenius machines took it in their stride,  the older ones had to be reset [I happened to be on a newer on.]
The haemodialysis unit is in a brand new spanking bright section of our hospital and there are some HUGE generators there.

When they are reset is that a huge process?

[Bajanne]

I don't think so.  I think it just meant touching some buttons.  The nurses keep regular records so it would be easy to carry on from where they were (at least, that is what I think).

[Hawkeye]

Interesting thread, and coincidentally, when I was on dialysis on Wednesday, there was a power outage (the first since I was on dialysis). There was just a split second and then the generator kicked in.  However, while the newer Fresenius machines took it in their stride,  the older ones had to be reset [I happened to be on a newer on.]
The haemodialysis unit is in a brand new spanking bright section of our hospital and there are some HUGE generators there.

When they are reset is that a huge process?

It all depends on how long the power was off for. The longer it's off the more things you have to do, like wait for the machine to come back into range for treatment, possibly retest, possibly reinsert patient treatment information from the treatment sheet.  it all depends.

[angieskidney]

Interesting thread, and coincidentally, when I was on dialysis on Wednesday, there was a power outage (the first since I was on dialysis). There was just a split second and then the generator kicked in.  However, while the newer Fresenius machines took it in their stride,  the older ones had to be reset [I happened to be on a newer on.]
The haemodialysis unit is in a brand new spanking bright section of our hospital and there are some HUGE generators there.

When they are reset is that a huge process?

It all depends on how long the power was off for. The longer it's off the more things you have to do, like wait for the machine to come back into range for treatment, possibly retest, possibly reinsert patient treatment information from the treatment sheet.  it all depends.

retest? That reminds me, one of the nurses were talking with another nurse about retesting. If a patient is already being dialysized, you can still retest??

[Hawkeye]

retest? That reminds me, one of the nurses were talking with another nurse about retesting. If a patient is already being dialyzed, you can still retest??

Not while a patient is hooked up.  Your blood would have to be returned first.

[angieskidney]

retest? That reminds me, one of the nurses were talking with another nurse about retesting. If a patient is already being dialyzed, you can still retest??

Not while a patient is hooked up.  Your blood would have to be returned first.

Ah okay.

[jdat]

Is that (cold dialysis bags) as bad as it sounds??

Mom 3

It depends!
If it's during the summer just put the bag out in the sun and you'll be ok.

I actually did a number of manual exchanges while travelling in march april when the weather was still a little cold and was fine without a heating plate.
But during the colder months cold PD bags suckkkkkk