I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: Raininggalaxies on July 08, 2013, 11:37:54 PM
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Hi everyone. I have posted here before but through a different topic. My grandma does dialysis. I have been kind and I'm a teen taking care of her theoug the summer. Anyways today we took my grandma to the dialysis. She does dialysis 4 times a week. Well she has not been eating her renal diet like she should and I'm concerned because of what happened today. Well we almost left to the water park (me and my aunt) and my grandma called from the dialysis. She said she couldn't do dialysis today. She told me her arm was clogged and they couldn't find the vein. We took her home and hen around 4 my uncle texted us saying that my grandma was taken to the ER. They said her arm for the catheter was clogged and they need to do surgery tomorrow. They said she has too much potassium and that's the problem. They gave her all this medication like sodium bicarbonate and stuff to help lower the potassium. Tomorrow their Gonna do surgery on her arm to help the catheter I think. The doctors even think that if she laid on her left arm by accident at night that it could have clogged but it would make sense more that her blood tests showed extremely high potassium levels. Crazy how if you don't maintain you potassium, salt, and phosphorus levels when you have dialysis that it could cause a major problem. Yesterday my grandma ate a lot of brocoli which is high in vitamin K.
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Yes, that little devil potassium can be a killer. Having it too high is dangerous as is having it too low. Hope Gramma feels better tomorrow. The Drs. and nurses know what to do. They will take good care of her.
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She hasn't done dialysis since Saturday and now shes doing it today and she has a lot of fluid in her body and her potassium levels were 6.7 which is dangerous. Yesterday if she didnt come in to the ER she would of had a heart stack. Crazy right.
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Good luck to you both! Keeping all those levels in check is really hard. I think we all have struggled with potassium and phosphorous at one time or another. Just keep working at improving her diet. It really is the only way to keep things going smoothly. Hoping they get your Grandma back to normal again. You are one very special teenager to help care for her!! Keep up the good work. You have found a great place to ask questions, and learn from others experience! Looking forward to hearing more from you!
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Hi everyone thank you for replying today my grandm is doing dialysis again to get the fluid out of her system since its been there since Saturday. The nurse said she had fluid in her lungs which is called coronary a...something maybe coronary artery disease? I know with being a dialysis patient your at risk of coronary heart disease. Their going to check to see if my grandmas heart has been damaged through X-rays and EKG. I pray she is healthy again. I think this might make her understand more that she extremely needs to watch what she eats and moderation of potassium foods. Its been hard for her all the time she's been dialysis to eat the renal diet because most common fruits she can't eat because they have potassium in them. I am just thinking about making a page telling her each food group of what potassium foods she can and cannot eat. I know she has tons of booklets but I think she needs them written all in Spanish so she knows oh I can't have that ok.
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G'day Raininggalaxies - interesting nickname! :)
I just wanted to say good on you for helping to take care of your grandma I guess while you are on summer break. I am sure you'd rather be out with your friends enjoying summer and all - like the waterpark and the like - but it's wonderful you're spending time with her and so concerned. That's awesome and you should be recognised for that.
Yes, as you know Potassium is very serious in overload, and even worse when the diet isn't followed combined with a lack of regular Dialysis - it can lead to very serious complications. I hope this incident has helped your grandma to understand the importance to keep to the diet. I know it sucks.. and I am sure she wants to enjhoy herself given all she has to deal with.. specially with a clotted access and so on. With the fluid on the lungs etc that is just as difficult so remembering fluid restrictions (even harder when it is hot - I totally understand) is just as important for her. Of course you know all this.
I am glad she has been able to get back onto D with her access to get the toxins under control and the fluid off.. I hope this is a rare occurance!
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Hi thanks for replying! Yes my grandma yesterday had heart surgery due to damage of the heart when she had high potassium levels. Next week she will have triple bypass surgery which I know will be hard but all I can do is pray and hope for the best. I believe after that she will be transferred to a care facility until she gets better. When she comes back home, will she be able to eat her renal diet or will there be more restrictions. When she gets out though I really want to cook great food for her heart like fish and chicken AND lean cuts of red meat for her iron and protein intake. Also I want to give her flaxseed which I believe isn't so bad on her potassium-correct me if I'm wrong. I would like to give her heart healthy foods so maybe it would not only help her diet but help her heart in long run and maybe even drop some weight for her. My grandma is a very strong women I'm proud to have her ;D :angel; :yahoo;
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What an angle of mercy you are. And your ministries to grandma is appreciated by all.
Having her diet in Spanish and the list of foods in Spanish is a great idea. Good for you for thinking about that!!!!
Having instructions, etc. in her native language will be more comprehensive to your grandma.
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You are doing a wonderful job. What a good idea to make her a list of no-no's in her native language and I am sure it is going to help her a lot.
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What a wonderful granddaughter you are. Your grandmother is very fortunate to have you in her life. Just remember that you are making her life better by being with her. I'll keep her in my prayers. :pray;
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Your Grandmother is so lucky to have you helping to take care of her. I know she appreciates it!
I'm hoping the best for her in the future!
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try this link,don't know about Spanish.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=22769 (http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=22769)
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Here are some links to try:
Hay varios recursos sobre la dieta y diálysis en el Internet. Revisa estos y dime si necesitas algo diferente. ¡Suerte!
http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozTopic_Spanish_Brochures.cfm
http://www.ultracare-dialysis.com/es-ES/HealthyLifestyles/EatHealthy.aspx
http://www2.kidneyfund.org/site/DocServer/Health_Eating_for_Hemodialysis_Spanish.pdf?docID=181
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Here are some links to try:
Hay varios recursos sobre la dieta y diálysis en el Internet. Revisa estos y dime si necesitas algo diferente. ¡Suerte!
http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozTopic_Spanish_Brochures.cfm
http://www.ultracare-dialysis.com/es-ES/HealthyLifestyles/EatHealthy.aspx
http://www2.kidneyfund.org/site/DocServer/Health_Eating_for_Hemodialysis_Spanish.pdf?docID=181
Thank you for this Tio - I am going to include these links in the Spanish section. :thx;