Update to first day

[topazbeauty]

So yesterday was my first day, I went in and had my permacath put in. A little un-nerving because I like to be able to see what was going on, but instead I had a paper "tent" over my head during the procedure. Right after I was oout of surgery I headed up to the inpatient dialysis unit and had a short treatment (1.5 hours).  Everyone kept telling me how tired I was going to feel and how I would just want to go home. After I got done with dialysis all I wanted to do was go eat! It was great. I hadn't wanted solid food for days so it was a nice surprise. We atuallly went out to dinner and I ate a full meal!

Today I had my first treatment at the center. It was nice and they did a good job showing me around and making me feel comfortable. The first few times I won't have a designated chair but they are opening up a second area and I'll have a chair assigned to me in the next few weeks. They checked my catheter which was the most uncomfortable part of the whole ordeal but it was better once they let me put on gloves and take the tagaderm off myself. They said if I keep reacting to it we can switch to paper tape next time. I almost hate to admit this but I actually LIKE dialysis. I feel so much better when I get done. I have an appetite, and my boyfriend and I are making a tradition of grabbing some food afterwards so it's nice. I mean I know it's not ideal, and I would have rather been evaulated for transplant and have never had to go through this, but it's really been completely worth it for me. Maybe I'll feel differently after I get up to full treatments, but for now, I'm happy to be on dialysis.

[Melissa]

Yay!  I am so glad your first treatment went well and that you now have an appetite - isn't that great?!
Wishing you continued luck!

[Maker]

   Thanks for posting, I was wondering how you are doing!  I love your positive outlook and I agree, we are blessed to have dialysis available.  It has been great for me and I feel so much better too. 

[willowtreewren]

Oh, it's good this hear this positive report. 

When my husband was in center I always had a snack ready for him on the drive home! Dialysis affects everyone differently. I'm glad you feel better! That's the way it should be! 

Aleta

[boswife]

Im so glad to hear!!  Sounds much like our experience,, and i'll say that were i think 7 months into it and still possitive about the whole thing.  Glad ya got off to a good start!!

[kitkatz]

Hubby knew to feed me as soon as dialysis was over.

[RichardMEL]

great news

the wanting to eat thing - I have that too. Dialysis pulls protein out of you so your body cries out for more.... so you should tell your BF to give you meat... uh... er.... umm... well... I won't be held responsible for how he takes THAT   

great to hear you are feeling better after a couple of treatments!!! 

[fc2821]

Glad it went well for you and you felt better once it was over.  I always am hunry after treatment too, so know how you felt.  Hope the treatments continue to go well for you.

[Rerun]

Ahhhhh thus The Honeymoon Stage~

                         

[billybags]

topazbeauty, So glad you are giving good fed back about your first experiences on hemo, it gives new people about to go on a positive look at it. Isn't it amazing how hungry you are when you come off. My husband could not stop eating when he came back, which I think is good.

[RightSide]

I'm really glad to hear it's been going well for you.  Wait till you see how great you feel in a few more months!

I had the same experience:  Dialysis never made me feel worse (except for some itching)--and it wasn't long before I started feeling much better.

[Pam]

Ahhhhh thus The Honeymoon Stage~

                         

I guess my honeymoon has lasted 8 mos so far. I hope it continues. I never want to feel as bad as I did before I started "D".
Pam

[kitkatz]

I have been at it eleven years now. It still sucks rocks. 

[topazbeauty]

I just feel completely blessed to feel this well after such short treatments. I go up another half an hour on Monday, and I'm just hoping that tomorrow is a good day. I feel a little tired again today like I use to feel before dialysis. I'm not sure if that's normal or not, but it kind of makes sense to me since you are going 3 days without anything instead of 2. Hopefully I continue to fel great after treatments.