A Crazy Catheter Story

[maritza0486]

So today while waiting in the waiting area, all of us Shift 1 patients were sitting and chatting. There is a woman who always arrives with her husband and she is really sweet and so is he.  Today she informed all of us about a situation that occured to her two nights ago. She has had her catheter in for 9 months already and that night while she was sleeping she said while half asleep, she felt like she was holding a straw in her hand so she got up and threw it in the garbage. She went to sleep and asked her husband why he was stealing all of the blanket. In that instant, her husband looked over at her and noticed blood on her necks and realized there was some on the floor. He got scared and realized that her catheter was gone! They went to the garbage can because she recalled throwing a "straw" away. It was the catheter thrown away like 18 inches long! She called the doc and she went in and they placed a new catheter in without a problem. We were both under the impression that the catheter was connected to a major artery but she found out that it is connected to a vein and that is why she did not bleed as much as she thought she would have. I just thought it was an insane story. She said she felt no pain at all. 

[effinxmandy]

I've actually heard of this happening!

I like you, thought there would be a ton of blood and didn't understand how anyone would survive their catheter coming out! I agree that's it's totally crazy. At least they can replace it without a problem, I just really hope that it's that easy for people who have experienced this before!

[monrein]

Infection is the scariest thing for me as that is a direct hole into your vascular system.

[kitkatz]

I had a chest catheter fall out one morning. Did not bleed, but scared the hell out of me!

[maritza0486]

Ever since I heard that story, I am afraid of messing with mine. I usually fix the patchwork because the nurses typically do a horrendous job. I also smack it a lot because it itches. Anyway, my catheter should be removed soon because I have finally been doing the needle sticking on the arm and it has been going smooth, thanks to the wonderful Lord Almighty. Cannot wait. Tomorrow the nurse will be using the middle sized needle. Let's see how it goes.

[marie]

That scares me to death. I've had mine in for about a yr now. Im getting it out in 2 weeks. I always feel to see if it is still in. lol

[Jean]

Wow, thats horrible. I just cant imagine that. Hope it never happens to her again,nor to any  of us.

[KICKSTART]

Ive heard this more than once , the exact same story. I think its just that ..a story !

[karen547]

it is not just a story, my catheter fell out 3 times, was replaced 3 times. it can happen!!

[KICKSTART]

Sorry Karen , im not saying it cant happen , just that this account is a story , because ive heard the exact thing word for word from different sources, surely all the people it happened to cant have dreamt about a straw !

[karen547]

im sorry too lol. i just was like yes it can happen lol. The straw story does seem a bit out there.

[gotalife]

This is scary when I hear these stories...was this a temporary catheter or a tessio catheter? I know of temporaries coming out.  The risks of infection are so high with the catheters.  I am glad it was replaced for her and was able to get her treatment. 

[RightSide]

That is weird.  I guess sleepwalkers who have catheters or ports in them have to be extra careful.

My dialysis nurses told me of rare cases where a patient gave an unusually bad cough--and the catheter came flying right out of the patient!

[justatech]

It can and does happen all the time. We had a patient show up for treatment one day, and while getting her prepped for dialysis, I asked her to take out her catheter for me, and she pulls it out of her bag!!!! And she says "This?" and hands it to me. I thought I was going to faint.

[spacezombie]

Won't it be nice to get the cath out? Getting catheters out is always my favorite, haha. It doesn't matter what kind.

My permacath bled a lot when I first got it but I can't imagine having one fall out!

[RightSide]

At my dialysis center, a couple of the nurses told me that they had patients who had severe coughs--and who actually managed to cough their catheters out!

(Forget kidney failure, that much severe coughing must be horrible!)

[jpearce]

I've had my catheter for 2years, and one night I had a dream that I got my transplant and didn't need the catheter anymore. When I woke in the morn the dressing was off. I was just fortunate I didn't pull the thing out in my sleep. Crazier things have happened.

[Goofy]

That actually happend to my father.  He would like to take little road trips.  The only problem was he couldn't remember where he went.  The only way we knew where he was going because we saw charges on his credit card from WI and we live in IL.  My mom died a few years before he started dialysis and they we're always going to WI.  I think that's why he kept going there.

One time he came home from his little trip and his catheter was missing!  I thouhgt I was going to die!  I was so worried about infection.  It was scary.  At that time we didn't know much about dialysis.

Then one day I had to call the police because we couldn't find him.  The poor guy was sitting in a restaurant and couldn't remember how to get home.  Needless to say, that was the end of his little trips and we had him move in with us so we could keep a better eye on him.

[Goofy]

I forget to mention that my father never even realized his catheter was missing!

[lucyskid18]

that is crazy!!!!I can't even imagine!!!!!! I have the PD CATHETER AND WHEN i SLEEP AND DO MY DIALYSIS AT THE SAMETIME AND ROLL OVER i'M ALWAYS AFRAID i'M ALWAYS going to yank it out without noticing!

[kidneydoc]

I have seen this hapen about 4 times one lady took off her shirt and pulled it over her head at home and then noticed her catheter missing.

One patient woke up with the catheter beside her on the pillow.

thank god nobody really bled significantly.