My virgin fistula has lost it's innocence

[big777bill]

 I went to dialysis clinic today and the RN and neph decided it was time to give my fistula another try. They had tried twice before with no luck. Today she stuck it further up the inside of my upper left arm and got it. It's going to awful hard for me to get it there but once the button holes are established I should be able to do it. Now 2 weeks of going to clinic everyday to get them started. It will be so good to get this catheter out of my chest! I'll probably take 6 showers a day once the catheter is out, lol. I can't wait

[Cordelia]

I went to dialysis clinic today and the RN and neph decided it was time to give my fistula another try. They had tried twice before with no luck. Today she stuck it further up the inside of my upper left arm and got it. It's going to awful hard for me to get it there but once the button holes are established I should be able to do it. Now 2 weeks of going to clinic everyday to get them started. It will be so good to get this catheter out of my chest! I'll probably take 6 showers a day once the catheter is out, lol. I can't wait

     I hope it goes well!!!! I have no regrets having mine removed at the end of April! Best wishes to you!         

[cassandra]

Good luck Bill, and by the way you will be surprised about how capable you can get to stick your needles in.

lots of luck, and love Cas

[boswife]

   Glad its started and doing well.  We use the 'touch' method which is great for i think everyone who has tried it but it does take practice.  You might ask if they indorce it.  Our clinic doesnt have any idea what it is, but it is taught by Stewart Mott who is highly regarded in the neph field.  I thik you can look it up and see what ya think.  All the best, and how is the 'home' part of it all going??  (haha, now that you 'get' to go back incenter to get bh established..)  I wonder if you'll like or dislike the break.  I used to like it (im the wife of the D man) when we had to do something incenter cause i was such a scardie cat and loved handing it all over (though i always cannulated him, they just watched the machine   )..  I dont so much now, it's just what we do and no big deal, but just wondering where you guys are at with that...  Well, smooth buttonholing to you, and keep in touch.  It's always fun to hear.  blessings     

[amanda100wilson]

http://www.esrdnetwork18.org/pdfs/QI%20-%20FF%20Tools/HowToManual_ButtonholeCannulation.pdf

Link to touch cannulation article by Stuart Mott

[boswife]

awwwwwwww, good girl Amanda   thanks for that!  Cant wait for the webnar with him too ..

[smokinbeaver]

Like your heading for your comment Bill and good luck!

Sharon

[big777bill]

 Thanks everyone I am going to give the touch method a try when the time comes. It seems like it would make it easier.

[big777bill]

 We've completed the fistula training on Friday. I decides to let Patty do the cannulating and it's worked out well. She is very good at it. I'll try to stick myself when we get more relaxed at home. Had some trouble on Friday. The RN forgot to clamp the T after giving me a bolus and we were hooked up to a full saline bag. I got over 900 mls of saline in about a minute. Then had to adjust the machine to take all of that extra fluid off. I'm glad it was her who forgot the clamps and not me