I didn't plan on writing about dialysis so soon in my blog because I was told that I probably wouldn't have to go on it until after the holidays... oops!
Last Monday I decided to go to the ER, I hadn't been sleeping for three weeks, my legs were twitchy, I was throwing up every night for a week, my teeth hurt, (that could just be the need of a dentist), I felt that I needed to be monitored. I sent my husband to work, got my daughter on the bus, found a sitter for my son, and had my mom drive me to the hospital. I don't think I planned on going when I woke up, but something shouted in me... GO!
Well, my creatine was 8.5... last month it was 6.5, and my calcium was 15 almost twice the normal amount. The ER doc called my Nephrologist, and she asked me to meet her at a different hospital because I needed to start dialysis right away!
Darn-it! (I might have used a different word)... I wasn't supposed to start until after the holidays! I had to have a cathiter placed in my chest to provied access to the dialysis machine. I will keep this in until the fistula is ready.
I had a fistula put in (is that the right way to phrase it?) (A surgury to attach the vein and artery which will then be used as an access to dialysis)....... Anyway, I had that surgury in late September, the fistula has to "mature" and takes about three months....mine wasn't ready for dialysis!
I was hooked to the dialysis machine at about 3:30 on Monday. It wasn't bad, I was the only person receiving dialysis at that time so I was able to ask the woman in the dialysis center lots of questions. My mom stayed with me for the first hour and then my husband showed up.... The time went by quickly.
I don't know what I thought dialysis would feel like, to be very honest, I didn't feel much of anything. The last half hour my face felt a little tingly, but that went away.
I did feel better after the treatment... I was hungry, which I hadn't been for a while. I wasn't throwing up.... which is always a nice thing. ... and I was suprisingly calm. My doctor had done a great job preparing me mentaly so that I would be ok when the time came for dialysis.
I had my second treatment at 9:30 the next morning... I had that same tingly feeling and my legs were really twitchy, but I got through it... i'll have to remember to bring a book next time... I didn't really have any distractions on day two, and got kind of bored.
I was released from the hospital after the treatment, and was so happy to see my children. Hannah is a little grossed out by the cathiter... it's hidden, but everynow and then she sees the stiches..... Ethan is only two, he doesn't know what is going on, and just wants to rough-house.... I am going to have to figure out a safe way to do that with him.
It is a little scary knowing that I have to now do dialysis three times a week for three to four hours each time..... but it is a journey, and I think I'm up for the trip.
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5 comments:
Christy,
Sorry to hear about your need for dialysis. My wife was able to receive a transplant before ever going on dialysis, so I can't really relate directly to what you are going through at the moment. What are your prospects for a transplant? Are you on the waiting list yet?
Hi Bob,
I am on the list, but it could be a while... I have had a few family members test to become donors, but it didn't work out... I have e-mail letters out to friends, and a few people have mentioned an interest, but only time will tell.
How is your wife doing with her transplant?
Hi again, Christy. Next May 26th will be the 10th anniversary of my wife's transplant, so on the whole, I guess I'd have to say things are going rather well. Certainly she's had to deal with some additional health issues since then, but her energy level post-transplant is way better than it was before the transplant.
Hopefully, somewhere, you'll find a kidney for yourself sometime soon.
Hi Bob! It's Christy....Thanks again for linking my site to yours.... I was wondering if you could tell me how to link my site to the PKD site... I still don't know how my computer works!
I hope you and your family have a great healthy holiday!
-Christy
I'm not sure which direction you want to go, so I'll answer for both.
To put a link to the PKD website on your page:
1) Click on Customize
2) Click on Add a Page Element
3) Click on Link List
4) Fill in the fields
5) Click "Save Changes"
If you want the PKD Foundation site to link back to your page, you can send an email to pkdcure@pkdcure.org.
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