Living Cadaver

[pagandialysis]

Don't you ever feel like a living cadaver sometimes? Last week I had three surgeries within three days of each other. First they had to do an Angioplasty last Wednesday. Unfortunately, they did the Angioplasty on the excess vein and not the Fistula. Since the excess vein was stealing even more blood thanks to that they decided that it needed to be tied off. Not such a big deal really. I get there, they do the work up and then I wait for three hours for the operation. After the operation I wake up do find that they did a little more then tie of the vein like they said they would. I woke up with a new neck catheter. It seems the Fistula wont be ready to use for about three more weeks.

My last three treatments have been horrible. This darn thing never works right. I have to sit here for forty-five minutes before my treatment so they can let something called Actavy (I know I spelled it wrong) sit in my catheter and try to clean it out. Basically medical pipe cleaner. Even after that it still doesn't work that well. After three days of this my doctor decided that I need to have a catheter exchange. Yay! ~sarcastic~

I'm just not too happy with being drugged and cut open so much in one week. Sorry, I just needed to vent.

[willowtreewren]

I'm just not too happy with being drugged and cut open so much in one week. Sorry, I just needed to vent.

Of COURSE you aren't.

 

I hope it all settles down soon and your fistula starts working properly.

Aleta

[lmunchkin]

Who wouldnt with what you are  going threw! You have every right to get irritated! Bless your heart, I certainly hope this gets straightened out and Soon!  3 wks seems right for the fistula, though!  Seems J had to wait about that long before they used his.  One thing I would like to mention though when they start using your fistula, make them start out slow and give your fistula time to mature! (BFR). To high pressure could ruin it and it is hard on the heart!

Most clinics would know to do that but you never really know!  Sorry your going through all of this, but I believe over time, it will get better! Keep us posted, ok?

lmunchkin     

[jbeany]

I usually got to the point that if one more medical student/trainee nurse/clueless intern showed up to oggle me, I was gonna scream!  Less Living Cadaver and more Breathing Science Experiment....

[HouseOfDialysis]

I just hope the interns are cute, especially around the time of year of the prostate exam. Do I need three in one appointment? No. But if they look hot, it helps a little.

[MooseMom]

I usually got to the point that if one more medical student/trainee nurse/clueless intern showed up to oggle me, I was gonna scream!  Less Living Cadaver and more Breathing Science Experiment....

Oh, I get med students all the time during my neph appts.  I speak to them in the most technical way possible, and by the time I'm through with them, they're like jello.  It's fun.

[jbeany]

Well, yeah, making the student nurse faint in shock when she had to assist with packing my infected abdominal wound was pretty entertaining....but, damn, some of them are in desperate need of bed side manners!  After 2 months straight in the hospital, my patience was wearing thin.

[Riki]

I like the ones who've never felt a fistula before.. the way they jump is hilarious...

a few years ago, when they thought I had gallstones (I actually had peritonitis, oh well), I remember having an ultrasound done. The tech had a student with her.  At one point, she asked me to turn on my side so she could see my kidneys.  I never said a word, I just did what she asked.  After a few minutes of moving the camera around and clicking things on the machine, she had a knot in her face a scout couldn't untie.  I said to her, "if you're looking for function, you're not going to find any in those kidneys." I'm sure it said somewhere in the rec that I was a dialysis patient.  Even if it didn't, she should have been able to see the frikkin catheter when doing a full abdominal scan. I made her look kinda dumb in front of the student. I thought it was funny

[Cordelia]

Feel free to vent.     Those neck lines are a proverbial pain in the neck!  Pun intended!     They don't run efficiently, at least mine never did. I was so glad to get rid of it!!

[pagandialysis]

I had a catheter replacement yesterday and this new one runs a little better today then the old one.

[Cordelia]

Yes, I had to have a central line put in not once but twice.....the second time I asked for something to relax me, it was too painful the first time. Ativan seemed to help the second time round   

[Riki]

they put a line in without giving you something? holy crap.  When I had mine in, the radiologist gave me something, then asked if I was relaxed.  I said no.  He said, "Ok, I'll just give you another shot."  I don't remember a thing after that, until I woke up after a surgery that I don't remember signing the consent for.  I knew they were going to do it, I just don't remember signing the consent

[pagandialysis]

Wow, I always get four or six shots of lidocaine when I get a new catheter.