Sleeping with Boris

[hephziba]

Well, Last night was my first night sleeping with boris(the cycler machine). I was a bit nervous about being trapped on the machine untill morning as I only have two opticaps and a week untill my delivery so I had to stay in bed all night and the extension still does make me reach the bathroom.

So My wife gathered lots of books and magazines and stuff for me to read in bed, and got me a bottle of water while I set up boris. which I find easy and quite enjoyable, my only problem can be forgetting to close all the clamps, I have to double check them or inevitably I forget one.

So boris was ready. I connected and got into bed, I was awake for the first exchange and then fell asleep, we had a cd playing in the sterio, and the fan blasting us with cool air as its very hot in the Uk at the moment. I awoke at the fourth dwell, and to my horror I discovered boris snores. the cd wasn't playing any more and boris was snoring and bubbling away. anyway He was generally Good. I just put the music back on so I wouldn't have to listen to his constant snoring, and when I awoke Boris told me my therapy was over. So I washed my hands unplugged from boris and He went to sleep for the day.

I feel really free my wife isn't going to remind me to exchange, So I am dancing around the house all excited like a five year old. If you ever got to know me you would discover I am much like a five year old.

So horray for boris what a cool machine.

shouts of Joy and victory are in the tents of the righteous.
The Lords right hand has done valiently the Lords right hand is exalted.

[Joe Paul]

Congratulations hephziba, sounds like the worries are over for you, I'm glad for you, and your wife 

[Bajanne]

Phew!  At first that topic had me scared.  We had a member who passed on whose name was old Borris, and I wondered what was going on there! 
Your machine has a name!!!!
And I am so happy for you!  Dont you see me dancing around with you?
Boris is a really cool guy.  When he wakes, give him my best regards.

[jdat]

haha Boris!

What a brilliant idea to name your cycler 

Great to hear the partnership is working out great.

[Hephs-little-lady]

Just wanted to say, "Well done Heph, I think you are doing so well!" 

Boris was noisy, he was snoring like an old man all night! I guess we'll get used to this though as I can sleep with the fan on and that is louder then Boris!

Oh and can we connect two patient extension lines together so Heph can get as far as the bathroom. They are only 1.8m long so one doesn't quite get him there. Does anyone know if this is OK and if it will work?   

[angieskidney]

Just wanted to say, "Well done Heph, I think you are doing so well!" 

Boris was noisy, he was snoring like an old man all night! I guess we'll get used to this though as I can sleep with the fan on and that is louder then Boris!

Oh and can we connect two patient extension lines together so Heph can get as far as the bathroom. They are only 1.8m long so one doesn't quite get him there. Does anyone know if this is OK and if it will work?   

If it is possible to make a clean connect with both and there are no leaks I would think it should be okay but if in doubt you can always call the company you order supplies from. They should know.

Congrats on the first night of success! I know I had enjoyed being free all day when I was on my Cycler

[goofynina]

Hey Heph and Hephs L-L,  So happy to hear that all is going well for you, i knew it would   My cycler is named Fabio,  a friend from Oz gave me the idea of naming him but i think i am going to change his name to Nacho,   i just love that movie Nacho Libre...  I dont understand when you say Borris snores?  Do you have a Homechoice Cycler??? mine is so quiet, make sure you ask the company if that is normal for your machine to make noise. 
Are the extensions you have the 12' Extension Set Easy-Lock Connector's,  i believe those are the only extension lines you are able to use (with the homechoice) not sure about any other machines. 
Good Luck to you Buddy, and the little lady, Please continue to post as your journey and your new life continues,  hope to hear from you again soon.......

[hephziba]

Hi goofynina.

When I went to bed Boris was fairly quiet, we had a fan on so couldn't really hear him, but during my fourth dwell , He was making horrendous squelchy noises, and humming rythmically . other than that boris is fine. yes He is a homechoice not pro. just homechoice.

the extension cables we were given are 180 cm extension set easy lock connector the nurse who trained us gave them cos I asked her, but gave me the impression that they were rubbish and that they didn't work cos the pump wasn't strong enough. so I didn't want to try on my first night.

it was really good though to not have to exchange all day has been so nice. our next project is an allotment. if you don't have those in america or canada its a vegetable garden that you hire and plant yourself. usually for people without there own gardens at home. and it should be better for us as we are planning to grow organic. all the shop fruit and veg from supermarkets are bathed in organophosphates and potassium based fertilizers. so assuming our plan works we should be able to eat more fruit and veg and my body wont have to deal with pesticide residues or chemical fertilizer residues. besides we will get out in the sun and relax.

To God who alone is wise be Glory and honour and wisdom both now and forevermore no matter what happens in this life. Amen

[Bajanne]

To God who alone is wise be Glory and honour and wisdom both now and forevermore no matter what happens in this life. Amen

Amen!!

Please give an update on your garden.  I like hearing about things like that.  Maybe you can post it in the Off-Topic section.

[Black]

Well, Last night was my first night sleeping with boris(the cycler machine).... So I am dancing around the house all excited like a five year old. If you ever got to know me you would discover I am much like a five year old.

So hooray for boris what a cool machine.

shouts of Joy and victory are in the tents of the righteous.
The Lords right hand has done valiantly the Lords right hand is exalted.

Wonderful to read a post which describes jubilant dancing!    Hope everything continues to go so well for you and your wife.

Lorelle

[hephziba]

Night two, well Boris woke up at ten thirty I set Him up and tried two of our extensions it worked, allthough in the end I didn't need them as I awoke this morning to the end of therapy sign.

its so nice to wake up to end of therapy rather than please begin your day of five bag capd.

So another day and I am free..

[Rerun]

I'm sure you are happy because you are FREE from dialysis during the day.  Now THAT is what I like to hear.  I'm assuming you hate dialysis so much that to be free from it during your waking hours is a blessed relief.

You are not saying that you are grateful to have had "kidney failure" so that you could experience all this joy from the cycler.  PLEASE tell me you are not saying that.    (this site is starting to worry me) 

[angieskidney]

you have to appreciate the freedom but I would rather have a real kidney with my exact DNA that I would never reject

[hephziba]

no rerun, I am definatly not happy about having kidney failure. I am happy for the freedom of not having to exchange or do haemo which is a constant reminder that we are not physically healthy and that our kidneys have failed.

Plugging in at bed time and unplugging in the morning to have days free from dialysis is excellent I cant really hate dialysis because at the moment it is keeping me alive and I love my wife and enjoy life so dialysis is good. but being on dialysis is bad..

I can't stand it that folks on this site like to blame God for the disease that has struck them. they obviously read a different bible and know a different God.

anyway I wont rant I am in two good a mood. I think this website rocks.

yeah angie I would much prefer a real kidney without the risks of rejection.

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.....

[angieskidney]

I pray for a kidney but I don't worry about it. I had a transplant once before. The time will come again when I will have one again I am sure. But I miss being on the Cycler. I wish you luck with Boris there Heph

[hephziba]

Ok, this morning I was awake from six am, and boris is to noisy He groans and moans and bubbles. I am a bit worried that if He does it when we go camping he might keep others awake and we will get complaints from other campers.  I mean what am I going to say" I'm sorry but Boris keeps me alive and no I can't turn the volume off".

its not alarms its just the running sound.

[Joe Paul]

I wouldn't worry about keeping others awake, just go and enjoy yourself. Maybe, what you could do, is have a sort of "show and tell" for those who do not know or understand what it is you are doing? That way, if  noise is a problem, they will understand it, and learn to cope with things, just as you have learned to cope. Either way, hope it all works out for you two 

[Ginger]

Maybe you could throw a blanket over Boris to muffle the sounds a little?

[Hephs-little-lady]

We just had our community nurse come out today for her routine visit and she suggested to stand it on a towel to see if that made a difference. If not, I think I will try the blanket over the top! Thanx Ginger. 

[angieskidney]

It shouldn't be a problem as camping sounds add to noise anyway and people seem to always sleep better when they are in/near the outdoors camping

[mmmmdeedee]

You know, when I first started I thought my Homechoice made a lot of noise - and maybe it does. But it's amazing how much noise you can get used to. After awhlie it just becomes the normal "white noise" you hear every night. Clock ticking, refrigerator running, cars going by, cat scratching, etc.

It should get better over time. And I wouldn't worry about the noise during camping either. I mean, if it's that loud where other "campers" might hear then maybe there is a problem with your machine. But otherwise, I don't think it'll bother anyone else.

Good luck.

[Mike]

I awoke at the fourth dwell, and to my horror I discovered boris snores. the cd wasn't playing any more and boris was snoring and bubbling away.

Hi,

Just a couple of tips:-

Put something soft under the machine, if it is on a hard surface it is much noisier.

And if it wakes you from the noise on the dwell, there is something you can do to silence it until the next exchange.

(going from memory here)

This works as long as it is not on an exchange

Press Stop, wait until all noises stop, press start and then after a few noises it will be completely silent until next exchange.

Hope all is going well otherwise and you are feeling ok

Mike 

[hephziba]

thanks mike I shall try that, we have allready tried the something soft under the machine, and it works a tiny bit, but we still hear boris snoring.

[Panda_9]

I found my PD machine very quiet. It had a bit of noise, but it was easy enough to get used to. Now Ive got the big cluncker hemo machine and Im still not totally used to 2 taps running, RO humming, machine fan blowing, and the blood pump squeeking!

[Mike]

Hi,

My first machine was quite noisy whirring and clicking all night but when that went wrong the replacement was much quieter. May be worth speaking to Baxter's and telling them that as it could be just wear and tear?

Mike