I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: G-Ma on July 21, 2008, 01:45:25 PM
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:bandance; After how CHICKEN I was, I am sooooooo pumped. I did it, both needles, first try each, I'll enjoy it for now cuz perhaps will not happen all the time, so next is NX Stage I guess.
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did you use a clamp or tourniquet?
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:clap; G-ma :clap; It's a good feeling isn't it? My fistula is still a bit fragile so I usually get my arterial but the venous is dodgy. It'll come with time and perseverance. I'm so glad you had success first time around and hope it gets easier every time.
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Light Tourniquet and my fingers to clot at the end. I had trouble clotting but I am afraid of hurting the fistula so was too light.
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I've been practicing on mine. I use a clamp. Mine is pretty close to the surface so the stick is fairly easy and the insertation angle is very low. I'm working on a way to clamp my sites after the needle is pulled.
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:flower; :flower; :flower; :flower; :flower; for U
I am so proud and you are so brave
you have my complete respect
I have never looked at the needles
YOU ARE IT :flower;
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Come on twirl, now you can do it...just peek...I did the same and now, wow.....Flip, we must have the same surgeon....mine is very close and about a 25 degree angle, I just have to be careful not to poke through...let me know how you are clamping the sites as that is what I'll need help with as I am determined to do this all alone. Yes, Monrein, the tech that took me off said some veins "jump" oh great. My veins have always rolled after they get tired of being poked for regular blood work in years past.
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Right now I'm sticking a folded 4x4 to the flat side of the clamp and placing it loosely over the site while I pull the needle with my fistula hand. When the needle comes out I clamp down quickly.
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You all are completely amazing. Tonight you are my heros, all of you, for being so in charge of your well-bring :bow;.
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Congratulations :2thumbsup; :yahoo; :clap; you did it!!! You will have so much more control of your dialysis at home.
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I wish I could too.
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Thanks Flip...I will try that clamping tech. Next step is for you to try home hemo...I'm sorry if I missed something from before I came on IHD as to why you cannot do home hemo. I also would like to keep my free days but tossed a quarter and am going to try. If I can shorten the time I think I'll like that. My arm got numb today on the 3rd hour and still had one to go so I was really glad to see the 4th hour come around. I have never cut my time short and won't start now. Thanks del and palagia.
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I don't have a caretaker.
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I'm sorry, me either. I'm taking my 14 yr old grandaughter because they demand it for training but I don't want to depend on anyone and luckily my sons work about 10 min away so if I call they can be here fast. I plan on doing this alone and travel some. I think I can train anyone to help me if I visit family or friends. Hopefully it will all work out.
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Good job on the self-cannulation. When I learned how to stick myself, that really took away my fear of the needles, since I was in control of how the needle went in. As for the partner issue, that's part of the reason I've switched to PD. I'm going to be living alone, and they won't let me do it alone, which sucks because I've done it 100% myself for over a year, and I feel entirely comfortable doing it alone (I actually have a few times, just don't tell my centre). I feel that it should be entirely the patient's decision on whether or not they have a partner. Back to the needles, I had to do hemo today (and I'll have to do it the rest of the week) because of the leaking I've been having with my PD, and I was afraid I'd have trouble with my needling because I hadn't done it in a while, but I didn't have any trouble, except for one little amusing mistake both me and my nurses made, but that didn't have to do with my needling ability.
Adam
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Adam, I'm sorry about the trouble you are having and hope it gets better FAST...you know I remember holding the needle and then was hooked up so don't know where my mind went during the work so will have to force myself to watch on Wed. I met a man at NXStage that was training alone so it may be up to the Dr. as some people have said. The Davita Director here knows I plan on doing this alone and didn't see a problem with it or just didn't say but she knows I plan on spending time out of state by the end of the year.
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Nice going, G-Ma! :bandance;
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thx jbeany
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I am so proud of you! :flower; Epoman used to do his own needles. I always wished I could, but I am a scaredy cat. there was one young lady in our centre who used to put in her own needles. But since she had some trouble with her graft and they put in a new one, I don't think she has started back. I would love to be able to do that! :bow; More power to you!
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I think it would be much harder without the cream.
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oh great and I was thinking about doing it without cream on Wed......perhaps I'll rethink that one. :-\
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Of course everyone's different but personally I don't like using cream or any topical numbing agents because I find that I can feel things better without and the pain is entirely bearable for me. I found that the fear of the needles was 99% psychological, which is NOT to say that it's silly, just that it can be overcome. I got over it in part by pressing my fingernail hard into my arm, as hard as I could and talking to myself about how it felt like a pinching but not what I'd call pain. Then I told myself that the needles don't actually "hurt" more than that and they don't, for me. The fear of the pain was the worst part. The needles are super sharp and except for times when you hit a nerve dead on it's all over pretty fast.
Good luck G-Ma with whatever you decide. I'm sure you'll continue to stick yourself successfully.
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Thx for the suggestion Monrein...yes the fear is very high on my scale...perhaps a cast iron fry pan upside my head before I start..that would do it.
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Wow G-Ma, that is great.
I admire all you brave people who do the needle thing.
I could never, that is why I am on PD.
Hope it continues to go so well for you.
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:rofl; :rofl; Just be extra careful with the frying pan. It's really hard to insert the needles while you're lying flat out on the floor. :rofl; :rofl;
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Ohhhh :Kit n Stik;
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:bandance;....arterial needle was great today, the other one rolled the vein so had to search a bit, but all in all was ok......come on twirl...you can do it.
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no I can not
I have all the respect for you
I have never looked at the needles :'(
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:big hug: just peek once.....k????
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:bandance;....arterial needle was great today, the other one rolled the vein so had to search a bit, but all in all was ok......come on twirl...you can do it.
yes, i'm sure twirl (and me, for that matter) could do it. but we just don't have to, not going to, no way, no how. but we are oh so proud of you.
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were you stomping your feet as you said that grammalady???
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Well, today sucked. Got to D on time as usual, attitude tech was on duty in my bay...she was determined to stick me as she didn't have time to watch...her words...she gave me one swipe with a alcohol swab before I had a chance to say anything and then she grabbed the needle...I informed her that I needed more swabs and she didn't clean the site enough and she was off and running. She threw more alcohol swabs at me and informed me she would not call the person who was supposed to help me and walked away. RN came over and asked if I needed help, I explained to her and said I did not want tech to come near me RN got someone to help me which by that time was over 1/2 hr into my time. Arterial needle infiltrated so had to hold and veinous needle rolled the vein and had to hold and nurse ended up using my catheter. RN said not to beat myself up as I had a bad start...this should not have happened and she knew it, but I'm sure nothing was said to anyone. Halfway through counselor came in and said not sure about NXStage as my only helper is my 14 yr old grandaughter...everyone needs to work and she admitted she knew this. I was ready to just go home, no D no nothing today. But I did stay and did decide I am going to push for home hemo after this one. Came home and went to bed.
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Sorry it went so bad. That tech should have been stabbed in the eye with that needle (well, not really, but she does suck). Hopefully things will go better next time.
Adam
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What a horrible day! It's so frustrating developing the vein to the point where sticking is no problem. It will come though. The really big shame is having to deal with any kind of attitude tech. Its tough enough without attitude.
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I am sorry to hear that the day did not go well for you. I hope that you do not get that tech the next time. I also hope that everything will work out for the home hemo.
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I am sorry about today
you should not have been treated like that
you are a hero to me
you are brave in the face of danger
I will not stick myself. I'd have to die first
I mean it
you got guts, sister
hold you head up high
you should be proud of yourself
F anyone who messes with you
Don't mess with Texas ( or anyone I care about!)
screw 'um
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NO SHE DIDN'T
OH, I'M PISSED
SHE THROW SWABS AT YOU
THAT BITCH
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time for another Roy D. Mercer good old fashioned country ass whoopin'
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I am not sure what you mean Flip
but I vote
DO IT
we get treated like sh--
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I would love to complain about this person to someone but what will happen if I have to deal with her again or if I get tossed out of that Davita for complaining??? I have heard about the last happening but don't know why or the end result. Yesterday another tech told a man "I'm the professional and I know what I'm doing when he told her to do something". Today, also new procedures but nurse did not say what all, just less Heperin I believe, and some 5 min wait....too much was going on with me to listen to the rest.
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I am having a hard time dealing with the way you are being treated
:thumbup; :sir ken; ( up yours --- to that bitch)
Sluff - used cuss words in emergency ------------------- I am trying to calm down------------trying------ but this is our member -----
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Thanks all...twirl, love you. I usually just come home and curl up in a corner with tears but this time decided maybe it would help to share with you guys. Won't change her but may help me. I didn't tell my sons because I know I would have been tossed out of Davita after they dealt with it. That would be a mental picture for sure.
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I can't believe you've never heard of my hero Roy D. Mercer
www.roydmercer.com
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Thanks so much flip, my first laugh of the day....love that Roy Mercer :rofl;
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THAT WAS FUN
:yahoo;
FLIP BOB
:2thumbsup; :2thumbsup; :2thumbsup;
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G-ma
do not go home and cry or sit in the corner and suffer
share with us
we care
been there
and we understand
Roy Mercer is so great
and Flip Bob ain't bad either
P.S. we are family
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Write it up as a formal letter and give it to the director of your unit. They have to respond to you within a certain amount of time. I have never been afraid to lodge a legitimate complaint at a center. It is your right as a patient to have quality care. And if that does not work and old fashioned ass- whipping may be in order! :Kit n Stik;
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Thanks Kitkatz, that is what I will do.
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First congrats on doing on sticks, also thanks for sharing center exp, sorry for infiltration. I too have attutide tech & as soon as I sit down I break into a rainning sweat. terror can`t describe my feeling, but on perfect tech day it`s almost a pleasing experience. You would think with buttonholes there wouldn`t be that much of a problem. I hope I can follow in your steps. :bandance;
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jamoman...are we in the same clinic??? :-\
today was a great tech day...nursing director helped me with needles...veinous went ok, arterial I didn't slant enough so she had to help......I just thought of something I want to ask.........when my gortex was going downhill I was tired all the time and no one believed me, then while we used the cath I felt on top of the world, always ready to go, now a week into the fistula and I am "worn out" again, just want to sleep...anyone else see a diff in themselves between the two? and I still have to have that thing removed at some point.