Yesterday while I was on dialysis I thought I would get something more written about the clinic. But, noooo!!! I was tired and did some sleeping. My body has been sorta “off” the last week or so. “Off” in this case means I can’t seem to know what I want to eat, my stomach is bothering me, nothing is satisfying, I seem to have a mild headache and my arms are a bit achy.
them for a short while or long term things that bother and we just get over it and deal with it.

The things we have to deal with we almost forget about those. They are an ache here, a pain there due to being on dialysis, due to medicines. All of us are in and out of the hospital, a few days here, a month there. I have stayed months at a time when I only expected maybe a week or so.

I now have a bag ready to go with me to the hospital with things I could use while there. I even bought a nice designer bag for these ocassions. I have it ready with pj pants, a t-shirt (my favorite attire), a shetch book where things about the event get written down, a bit of sketching, a book (which I probably will never read ... but, hey, I just might surprise even myself!!).

There are two hospitals under the same ownership for this town and both of them have been honored nationally for their quality of work. Makes me feel a lot better ... safe. Safe is important.

Well, that’s a decent ramble!!!

Any question?

Thank you for reading this blog.

Mandala

Yesterday, Monday the 13th, I went to the surgeon and my graph was redish (some kind of infection still in the system). So, now there will be an antibotic given to me through the dialysis machine today, the 15th and on Friday the 17th. Then I’ll see the surgeon next Monday (the 20th).

When the graph is ready for being stuck, they’ll take the catether out of my neck. All the patients like the catheters but they are not as efficient as are the fistulars or the vortex graphs.

So good for a week!

Any questions?

On Monday at 12:30p I see my doctor/sergeon about my graph that he put in my upper R arm about five weeks ago. I’m not looking forward to it being well enough to start using. It is sore for weeks when they start sticking it.

There are several methods of sticking for dialysis. The most familiar one that doctors choose to use the most is a fistular. The patient has to have good quality veins. An artery and a vein are put together in the nondominant arm and the patients and the nurses work on the development of what’s referred to as a buttonhole. It’s a constant place where the stick is put in the arm. It hurts. But, if the doctors know what they are doing, and your veins are in good shape, that’s what they will “demand” you do. It lasts longer and there are less problems overall; less trips to the hospital.

Mine is a gortex graph. My veins are too small to do anything better. I have now had four in my L arm and this is the second one in my R arm. Dialysis since 8-1987 minus 5 years (TX); so just about 14 years of being on dialysis.

I’ll go from the doctor to the clinic. I’ll have to let you know later how Monday (the 13th) worked out!

It’s about 1:p on Friday and I need to quit playing around and do my drugs, get my clothes on and get to the bus by 1:35p. The bus is easy to get around on and the stop is right outside my door. I get off up the street from the dialysis clinic, get something to eat (usually it’s two chicken salad subs on wheat —> they are so good, I’ve been getting them for months now), a big cup of ice and something sweet (which, of course, I surely do not need).

I get to the clinic about 2:20p and am on the machine by about 2:40p or 2:45p. Same story also on Monday and Wednesday. I usually watch two episodes of Law & Order, Oprah, and the local news and I get off about 6:45p and catch the bus to home about 7:20p. There are several of us who laugh our way home.

That’s the short version.
I’ll have additional dialysis information within the next several days.

Any questions? Or comments .. ?

My graph clotted for the last time about five weeks ago. I had a catheter put in my neck so I could do dialysis. About three weeks after that I had a graph put in my upper right arm. It has to season for some weeks before they will begin to stick it for dialysis. I see my doctor again in another two weeks.

It looks good and when I listen to it with a stethescope the thrill sounds good. So, I’m assuming we’re on the right path!!!

It used to be that graphs would last about eighteen months. Now, this graph that just clotted I’ve had since the end of January 1999.

If you are on dialysis, please leave a comment.
Other comments are welcome, too!
thank you