As the Blood Pumps Turn: A Patients Own-Personal Story

By Bessie Moore

Discover the treasures; that are hidden in this book; nuggets of health are revealed; everywhere you look!
Knowledge gives you the power that helps you conquer the Fear of the Unknown, and wisdom is the key; t hat allows you to live and be free; and not being bound; by what you Assume things maybe or what they ought to be!
When I began this journey; I felt all alone; no one understood what I was going through; because I did not understand what I was going through either!
I felt my life was gone; so I experienced GREIF! I went through a period of ANGER! Why did this happen to me? I experience ANXIETY ATTACKS; because I felt overwhelmed from all that I was going through and I had no control over it!
Sometimes I was HAPPY and suddenly I felt SAD; due to MOOD SWIGNS! I did not know if I was going to live; or what the quality of my future would be; so I became DEPRESSED! I have an illness and my lifestyle has changed drastically. I was in DENIAL!
During Dialysis Treatments my blood pressure would drop drastically low causing my body to CRASH and I became FEARFUL of the UNKNOWN and there was no one that could explain to me with EMPATHY what I was going through.
The Doctors; Care Givers and Family members can SYMPATHIZE with your pain or anguish; but they have no first-hand knowledge of what you are actually experiencing.
So come on and take this journey with me; and learn golden secrets of coping with the unknown as it unfolds; techniques to strengthening each other and becoming victorious in any situations. Its just like Lotto; you have to be in it; to win it!
DIALYSIS TREATMENTS
GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY
KIDNEY TRANSPLANT
EXPLORATORY LAPAROSCOPY
COLON POLYPS
HYPERTENSION

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481726078

Bessie Moore

Bessie is a 61 year old widowed female residing in Houston, Texas. She has survived eight and a half years of Hemodialysis Treatments and three and a half years after a Kidney Transplant; Gastric Bypass Surgery; Exploratory Laparoscopy Surgery and Colon Polyps removed just to name a few! Bessie is a graduate of Northwestern High School in Zachary, Louisiana; class of 1969; The Houston Skill Center; The Interactive Learning Systems; Concorde Learning Institute; Theological Studies; Evangelist; Sunday School Teach for ten years. She is the mother of three sons; Ellis; Greg and Kevin; the grandmother of eight and the great grandmother of two.

Book preview

© 2013 by Bessie Moore. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/27/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4817-2608-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-2607-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013913230

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Dedication And Acknowledgments

Introduction

Your Genie

Preface

Kidney Resources

Chapter I

The Fall

• Never Assume

• Signs And Symptoms

• The Pros And Cons of In-Center Hemodialysis

• There Are Three Types Of Peritoneal Dialysis

• There Are Three Types Of Accesses

• My First Treatment

• The Billy Goat Syndrome

• The Dive

• Obsequies

• The Soaps

• The Awakening

• Immunization

Chapter II

The Winter

• Family History

• Prior Surgeries

• Note To The Family Members

• Prognosis

• Physically

• Mentally

• Financially

• Recommendations

• Medications To Avoid

• Your Kidney Team Players

• Make a fluid intake schedule

• Foods To Limit Or Avoid

• Example High Phosphorus Foods

• The Parathyroid Gland

• Monthly Labs

• The Tithe

• Exercise

• Light Headed

• One and One

• Quarterly Labs

• Cellulitis

• Blood Clot

Chapter III

The Spring

• Renal Transplant Education

• Blood Type

• Success Rates

• One-On-One Evaluation

• Obesity

• Success Stories

• My Father Died

• Reality Check

Chapter IV

The Summer

• Revelations

• Attitude

• Help Is On The Way!

• Week 1 Castor Oil Packs

• Oh Christmas Tree

• Prioritize! What is most important to you? In this case I guess the party was!

• Edgar Cayce Books

• Body Alignments

• Angioplasty #1

• The Boomerang

• The Bouquet

• The Reawakening

• Death of Three Friends

• Angioplasty #2

• MAP

• Angioplasty #3

• Head Banging

• Making Rounds

• Fistula Repair

• Farewell Mrs. Irving The Oldest Female Patient

• Farewell Mr. Roup The Second Oldest Male Patient

• The Waves

• Give Me My Nail

• I’ll Do It!

• Neck Sprain

• Syncope

Chapter V

I Stole A Miracle

• The Beginning

• Gastric Bypass Surgery/Lap Banding

• Getting Started

• Pre-Op Visit—Cleared for surgery.

• The Morning of Surgery: Day 1

• Mrs. Janie’s Prayer

• Farewell Tim

• Lupus:

• A Tribute to Brandy (The family pet died)

• Glenda:

• Oh Willie Boy

• A Dialysis Soldier

• Sleep Disorder Test:

• Transplant Workup:

• Heart Catheterization:

• Exploratory Laparoscopy:

• Rehabilitation Center:

• Vena Cava Filter:

• Breast Lump:

• Obsequies: My Husband Died:

• Hurricane Ike: September—2008

• Diagnosis: MRSA—Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus

• 3/20/09 Angioplasty

• The Kidney Transplant:

• Pandemonium: Tuesday 4-1:

• Pandemonium Again:

• All About Me:

• Thank You:

• Nutritional Goals After Transplant:

• Home Medications:

• Discharge Information:

• To whom the Bell Tolls:

• Nephrologist Visit:

• Tiffany Died:

• My Kidney Anniversary song:

• Surgeons Visit and Stent Removal:

• Pandemonium Again: (3)

• Blood Clots!

• Diagnosis: Acute Bronchitis.

• Women with Disabilities Empowerment Fair:

• Constipation Blues:

• Kidney Party:

• The Woman of the Month:

• Bronchitis Again:

• Gone Too Soon:

• Happy Kidney Birthday:

• Gastrologist Visit:

• Orthopedic Surgeon:

• Hurricane Ike Blessing: 9/2011

• Conclusion:

Dedication And Acknowledgments

To My Parents: Jessie & Rosa Lee Scott

My Sons: Ellis, Greg, & Kevin

My Brother: Jessie Lee Scott Jr.

Nephews: Malcolm & Jessie Scott III

Friend: Brook Bailing

The Title: As The Blood Pumps Turn

Suggested By: Vicki Roberson—Dialysis Technician

Illustrations By: Terry Howse

DaVita Dialysis Center

Houston Northwest Hospital

St Luke’s Hospital

Introduction

The story you’re about to read is true. The names have been changed to protect the privacy of others. The trials and tribulations depicted in these stories are actual events that occurred to the writer.

Many incidents will be described in poetic verse or by rhyming lyrics; but the poetry does not take away from the seriousness of this illness.

This book was written in hopes of educating the potential Dialysis patients of signs, symptoms and possible incidents that will occur at some point of your journey!

The families that read this book will be equipped with the knowledge required to support the patient as they journey through phase of their lives.

Your Genie

There is nothing to fear, but fear itself! Being on Dialysis, is like having a Genie in a bottle. You are given three wishes, and he is commanded, to grant them to you!

But God is your Genie, and the Dialyzer, is your bottle. Instead of three total wishes, God keeps on renewing them every day.

You are granted three treatments, which equals three wishes per week, to prolong you life, exercise your liberties, and to pursue happiness.

Faith is the key that unlocks the wishes of your Genies heart!

Being on Dialysis may seem like a river, that you think is un-crossable, or maybe as a mountain, that you can’t tunnel through, but your Genie specializes, in things that seem impossible, and he can do what no other power can do!

Your Genie may reverse the effects of your Kidneys, or he may grant you a transplant from someone else. However he decides to handle it, just know that he has your best interest in mind.

Your Genie is the author and finisher of your faith. He gives you the power to stay in the race. So each day that you are alive, it’s a good day! Thank your Genie for watching, and taking care of you!

May God Bless!

Preface

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

To everything there is a season,

And a time to every purpose under the heaven,

A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant,

And a time to pluck up; that which is planted!

A time to kill, and a time to heal,

A time to break down; and a time to build up!

A time to weep, and a time to laugh,

A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

The meaning of healing:

The soundness of any organism

To restore the soundness to any organism

To bring about a remedy

To cure a disease

To make healthy again

To be free from sin, grief, or worry

To repair, or counteract

To purify

To cure

Kidney Resources

American Kidney Fund

1-800-638-8299

Medicare

1-800-813-8868

Bureau of Kidney Health

1-800-222-3986

Texas Department of State Services

1-888-973-0022

United Network of Organ Sharing

1-800-292-9547

The Renal Support Network

1-88-543-0896

American Diabetes Association

1-888-700-7029

National Kidney Foundation

1-800-622-9010

Life Options

1-800-468-7777

National Kidney Disease Education

1-866-454-3639

American Association of Kidney Patients

1-800-749-2257

American Association of Diabetes Educators

1-800-338-3633

Medic Alert Foundation

2323 Colorado Avenue

Turlock, CA 95382

1-888-633-4298

Web address: http://www.medicalert.org

American Obesity Association

1250 24th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20037

Web Address: http://www.obesity.org

American Society of Bariatrics Surgeons

100 SW 75th Street

Gainesville, FL 32607

1-352-331-4900

Web Address: http://www.asbs.org

Chapter I

The Fall

I fell down and I could not get up again!

I was sleeping all day and night! Through the process of self diagnosis, I Assumed that I was experiencing symptoms from sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea is a temporary suspension of breathing! This may result from a reduction in stimuli to the respiratory center causing either partial breathing or over breathing as in suffocation or Sudden Death Syndrome!

When the carbon dioxide content of the blood is reduced; it causes failure to the respiratory center. There are no discharge impulses being activated as when the breath is held voluntarily.

This is a serious symptom in such conditions as Arteriosclerosis, Meningitis, Coma, Heart Disease, Kidney Disease and also following an injury to the brain in which concussion results.

I thought I had the Flu, because of the fever, and my body was aching from the top of my head, behind my eyeballs and beneath the lower lumbar disc.

I’d had a Kidney Biopsy approximately two years prior to this time, but it still did not dawn on me that I was experiencing symptoms of further deterioration as I was conducting my own self assessments.

Since I was taking diuretics and going to the restroom frequently, I did not thing that my kidneys were malfunctioning any more than usual.

I did not have an appetite! I had to force myself to eat a slice of toast, or a piece of fruit so that my medications were not taken on an empty stomach.

I would get nauseated followed by vomiting and diarrhea. I was losing about ten pounds per week.

My blood pressure was slightly elevated, even though I was taking blood pressure medications.

My hands and feet were swollen.

I had never been this ill before in my life! I thought I was going to die! I placed a note on my blue sequence dress and it read; if I die please bury me in this dress.

My energy level was down to zero! I would get dizzy whenever I tried to stand up to go to the kitchen or to the restroom.

I could not perform any of my regular chores like cooking; washing and cleaning, but I could steal away and pray.

My Prayer:

Sometimes when I steal away, many times I pray,

If I only say, thank you Lord, for this day!

Often when I’m lonely, and I’m feeling blue,

I just steal away to Jesus,

Because he knows; what to do!

You don’t need company; you can do it alone,

You don’t need a phone, to call him at home.

His line is never busy, and it’s never too late,

So steal away to Jesus,

When your problems can’t wait!

Sometimes you may be burdened,

Sometimes there may be strife,

But before you go to bed at night,

Steal away, and tell Jesus good night!

Never Assume:

Whenever my family members visited they thought that I was just sleeping due to being bored. It never occurred to them that I was ill!

When I was a child, I Assumed that my elimination process was normal. I did not have a daily elimination. (Bowl Movement)

When I decided to tell my mother of my discomforts, I saw a television commercial that said, What’s regular to some; is irregular to others.

I assumed that I fit into the irregular category. I was only eight years old so this made perfect sense to me and the fact that it was on television I believed that it was true.

This was the happiest day of my life. I began to skip and sing. I am not sick! I am not sick! I want have to go to the hospital as I did when I had an Asthma attack; I am not sick!

I do not have to tell my mother anything, because there is nothing to tell. I am a Normal Irregular.

This was the beginning of my destruction. Poor blood circulation and improper eliminations can be contributed to Kidney Failure.

The blood travels through the Kidney’s twenty times per hour. The excess waste material continues to cycle through the Kidney instead of being expelled through the bile. This causes deterioration.

When I was twenty seven years old; a doctor stated that I was overweight because of improper elimination. He suggested that I eat six mini meals per day to boost my metabolism.

Parents, please pay close attention to your children’s elimination process to keep them regular and healthy and not be trapped by the Normal Irregular System like I did. Ass-u-me. This attention may prolong, prevent and even preserve life.

I Was Assuming Again:

I was experiencing severe symptoms of Menopause. I was having hot flashes, chills, nervousness, depression, crying and headaches.

Menopause marks the permanent cessation of menstrual activity. The change of life as it is called usually occurs between the ages of 35 and 58. During this time weight gain is also called The Old Age Spread or in men The Old Spare Tire.

When I arose one Wednesday morning there was a heavy amount of blood in the toilet stool. The water was richly red. I really thought I was dying. Through my fear, I decided to go to the hospital.

While in the emergency room I was given an injection in the stomach and one in the buttocks. An oral exam was performed.

I was admitted into the hospital. Due to the large number of symptoms I was experiencing multiple test and X-Rays were ordered.

Diagnosis:

Colon Polyps—Tumors found in the rectum.

Polyps are commonly found in the vascular organs such as the nose, the uterus, and the rectum. They bleed easily and if there is a possibility that they will become malignant they should be removed surgically.

Anemia—A condition in which there is a reduction in the number of circulating red blood cells carrying oxygen to the body.

Without red blood cells your heart has to work harder to get oxygen where it is needed. This puts an added strain on the heart which can result in heart damage such as enlarged heart or a heart attack.

Anemia makes it harder for you to think which makes it harder for you to read, write or to function properly.

There are two kinds of Kidney failure; Acute and Chronic.

1. Acute Renal Failure usually happens quickly and can be temporary. Normal Kidney functions can return after the Kidney heals.

During the healing process, dialysis may be used to supplement the removal of the water.

Temporary injuries such as the loss of blood, a severe burn, an infection, an allergic reaction to medications, a drug overdose or certain types of poisoning can contribute to Acute Renal Failure.

2. Chronic Kidney Failure can happen slowly and is usually caused by damage to your Kidney in the form of a disease.

Signs And Symptoms:

How often you urine

Swelling of the hands, feet, face and abdomen

High Blood Pressure

Loss of Appetite

Bad Taste in your mouth

Ammonia Smelling

Feeling Tired or Weak

Inability to Concentrate

Confusion

Headaches

End Stage Renal Disease occurs when the Kidneys no longer works. Therefore they cannot sustain life.

Normal Kidney functions do not return. Dialysis or a Kidney Transplant is necessary.

Q: Am I going to die?

A: No! Even though your Kidneys are at a point of no return, you can live!

This condition can’t be cured; but it can be treated by Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, A Kidney Transplant or Refusal of Treatments.

Every two minutes every drop of blood in your body passes through your Kidneys!

It balances the sodium, potassium and the protein levels. It also removes other waste materials that are formed when the body turns food into energy.

1. Hemodialysis can be done in a hospital, an outpatient Dialysis Clinic, or at home. Your blood is cleaned through a machine outside of the body, just as your Kidneys cleaned your blood before they failed to work properly.

In an Outpatient Dialysis Center, nurses and technicians who have special training places the needles and tubing together and they monitor the machine as you are dialyzed.

The Pros And Cons of In-Center Hemodialysis:

The Pros:

1. You have trained professionals caring for you at all times.

2. Medical help is available quickly if there is an emergency.

3. You can interact with other patients who are on dialysis just like you.

4. You don’t have to care for and store a machine.

5. Your treatments are usually three times per week.

Cons:

1. Staff persons that are not familiar with you may be working with you.

2. You must follow the rules and regulations of the Dialysis center.

3. Your treatments are scheduled by the Dialysis Center on availability not convenience.

4. You are required to travel to and from the Dialysis Center per week for your treatments.

Procedures:

Your weight is measured in Kilo’s not pounds, your weight is taken before and after your treatment in order to measure the amount of fluid needed to be removed.

Your weight will be taken for a couple of weeks in order to determine your actual dry weight.

Your exit weight will be subtracted from your entrance weight, and the difference will be subtracted from your dry weight to show the proper amount of fluid to be removed in order to get you back to your dry weight.

Ex: Your dry weight is 120.0 Kilo’s.

Friday—Your exit weight was 121.0 Kilo’s.

Monday—Your entrance weight was 124.0 Kilo’s.

124.0 Entrance Weight

-121.0 Exit Weight

= 3.0 Kilo’s Gained

Then 124.0 Entrance Weight

-120.0 Dry Weight

= 4.0 Kilo’s to be removed

The 4.0 is the amount of fluid to be removed to get you back to your dry weight.

Your blood pressure is taken at a standing position, at a sitting position, and every 30 minutes until the treatment is completed.

If your blood pressure is too high, an injection of Clonidine may be given to bring it down.

If your blood pressure is too low an injection of Hypotonics may be given to raise your pressure.

Special attention will be warranted until the patient is stable.

Your temperature is taken before and after your treatment. If there is an elevation in your temperature, it warrants more attention.

Your Lungs are checked for clarity, and/or congestion before and after your treatment.

You are asked, if you had any GI (Gastrointestinal) problems. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc…

GI—Gastrointestinal Pertains to the stomach and intestine.

You are checked for edema in your face, hand, and feet.

Your level of consciousness: Alert, drowsy or disoriented.

If you are ambulatory or if you were brought in by an ambulance!

You are asked, if you have had any trips to the hospital since your last treatment. Yes or no!

If your answer is yes, you should give details of your circumstances and records of any medication changes or additions.

Blood work is taken every Monday. Results are given on Wednesday. Adjustments are made accordingly.

During your treatments, you may experience some of the following symptoms. If, and when you do call the nurse or the technician immediately!

1. Dizziness

2. Upset Stomach

3. Chest Pains—Tingling, Squeezing, or Pressure

4. Sudden Chills

5. Heavy Sweating

6. Severe Pain of Any Kind

2. Peritoneal Dialysis is a process that uses the body’s Peritoneum (A Membrane which lines the Abdominal Cavity) instead of a Dialyzer to remove waste from the blood.

There Are Three Types Of Peritoneal Dialysis

1. Intermittent Peritoneal Dialysis or exchange is when a tube called a Catheter is surgically placed in the belly. Dialysate Fluid is placed into the abdomen through the Catheter.

The waste and extra fluid moves into the Dialysate. After several hours the used Dialysate is drained off into a fresh bag and a fresh bag of Dialysate is put into the abdomen.

2. Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis—is the most common type of Peritoneal Dialysis. It can be done in any place that is clean and well lit.

Exchanges are usually done every four to six hours during the day. The only equipment you will need is a full bag of Dialysate fluid, and the plastic tubing that comes attached to the bag.

Gravity is used to drain and fill the abdomen with Dialysate. You connect the Dialysate bag and tubing to your Catheter.

The Dialysate bag is hung above the head on a hook or a pole. The bag remains clamped until later.

The solution that had been sitting (Dwelling) in your Peritoneal cavity is drained out through tubing connected to an empty bag on the floor.

3. Continuous Cycling Peritoneal Dialysis or Automated Peritoneal Dialysis.

This is done at night while you sleep. The catheter is connected to the machine cycler. For eight to ten hours each night the machine fills and drains the Dialysate from the Peritoneal Cavity.

The machine keeps repeating the process throughout the night. The next morning clean Dialysate is left in the Peritoneal cavity after you have disconnected from the machine.

You don’t have to concern yourself about those choices right now you need Hemodialysis.

3. A Kidney Transplant is another treatment option but it is not a cure.

A Kidney Transplant is the process where a Kidney is taken from the body of a healthy donor and placed into the body of the person with End Stage Renal Disease.

The Kidney had to be closely matched with the blood, and tissue type of the person to receive the Kidney.

The Kidney of a living relative had less chance of rejection, but the Kidney from an unrelated living person that is compatible can also be used.

A Cadaver Transplant—A Kidney from a person that is brain dead, but the Kidney had not died.

Transplant patients must take medications for the rest of their lives to prevent the Immune System from causing the body to reject the new Kidney.

4. Another option is refusal!

Refusal is an act or privilege of rejection; to choose none of the above.

Anyone that has a will to live does not choose this option. This option is a sure death.

You cannot live long with a buildup of poison toxins in your system. As you already know, you can get really, really sick, and death will occur.

There is no way around it! Death will knock at your door! And you will answer.

Q. What is a Kidney?

A. The Kidney is a paired organ, about the size of a fist. It is purple-brown in color. Their function is to excrete urine and to help regulate the Water, Electrolyte and Acid-Base contents of the blood.

The Kidney is like a vacuum cleaner, it excretes, as it filters, as it cleans.

Q. Where are the Kidneys located?

A. The Kidneys are located below the rib cage on both sides of the Spinal Column. The right Kidney is slightly lower than the left one.

Q: Why are the Kidneys so important?

A: Because they are very vital organs. The Kidney acts as a sponge to remove waste products from the blood. It uses filters called Nephrons. There are approximately one million Nephrons in each Kidney.

1. It forms red blood cells.

2. It balances body chemicals.

3. It releases hormones that help to control blood pressure.

4. It regulates the amount of body fluids needed to function normally.

Urine is formed by filtration in Renal corpuscles, and selective reabsorbing and secretion by cells of the Renal Tubule.

Q: What causes the Kidney to fail?

1. Infections are the state or condition when the body is invaded by a pathogen agent or virus.

2. Diabetes is a Disease of High Blood Glucose levels. It can cause changes in the structure and function of blood vessels and abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates, fat and protein.

Diabetic patient’s has a 65% risk of being attacked by Alzheimer’s Disease!

Alzheimer’s Disease—A Chronic Organic Mental Disorder, a form of Pre-Senile Dementia due to Atrophy of Frontal and Occipital Lobes.

This Disease usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 60, more often in women than in men.

It involves progressive irreversible loss of memory, deterioration of intellectual functions, Apathy, Speech and Gait Disturbances, as well as disorientation.

The course may take from a few months to four or five years to progress to complete loss of intellectual function.

3. Hypertension damages the blood vessels in the Kidneys, and it reduces the blood supply to the Kidneys.

4. Hypotension denotes low blood pressure; a decrease of Systolic and Diastolic blood pressure below normal.

Hypotension occurs in Shock, Hemorrhages, Infections, Fevers, Cancer, Anemia, Neurasthenia, Addison’s Disease, Debilitation or Wasting Disease and approaching death!

5. Glomerulonephritis is a swelling of the filters of both Kidneys. It involves slow, progressive damages. Early diagnosis is difficult because there are no symptoms in the early stages of this disease.

6. Polycystic Kidney Diseases is an inherited disease. With this disease, abnormal sacs called Cysts develop in the Kidneys. These sacs may contain fluid, gas or tissue.

You will continue to urine in the usual amounts; but the waste products are not removed from the body.

7. Nephrotic Syndromes is a Non-Inflammatory disease. It causes large amounts of protein to pass from the blood to the urine. This causes edema.

8. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus causes swelling in all organs in the body, including the Kidneys.

9. Chronic Pyleonephritis is an inflammation of the tissue of the Kidneys, surrounding the filters.

10. Kidney Stones can form anywhere in the urinary tract. These stones can cause a blockage in the Drainage System of the Kidneys.

When this happens, the Kidneys can be damaged due to the pressure of urine backup or infection.

Q. What do we do now?

First we will surgically implant a Stent into your Urethra. This will be our last experiment before resulting to Hemodialysis.

That procedure was performed!

A: That procedure did not work!

I was still unable to eat and I continued to lose weight!

Even though I had an IV with Normal Saline and Antibiotics dripping; none of the medications or the procedures that the doctors had recommended was working!

Due to the Anemia a blood transfusion was necessary.

Blood Transfusion is the replacement of blood or one of its components.

One pint of blood was transfused.

Diagnosis:

The doctor said that I had Uremia.

Uremia is a toxic condition associated with Renal Insufficiency produced by the retention in the blood of Nitrogenous Substances normally excreted by the Kidney.

This Poison produces generalized symptoms such as Fever, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Pulse and Respiration being quickened or depressed.

We have to put a Lifeline Catheter in your chest, Stat.

Hemodialysis treatments had to be started right away!

Q: Would you explain that again please!

A: This is a process that cleans your blood by circulating it through a special machine called a Dialyzer. (An Artificial Kidney Machine) and then returning the filtered (Cleaned) blood back to your body.

This process is performed at least three times per week, from three to six hours per treatment depending on the condition of the patient.

Hemodialysis Machine

420603_Image1.jpg

The Dialyzer:

420603_image4.jpg

The dialyzer is known as a static analysis tool or an artificial kidney which is designed to provide controllable transfers of solutes and water across a semi permeable membrane separating flowing blood dialasate streams.

The transfer processes are diffusion (dialysis) and convection (ultra filtration). There are three basic designs; the coil; the parallel plate and the hollow fiber configuration.

The Access Needle is used as a bridge to connect the patient to the artificial vein (tubing) and the artificial kidney. (Dialyzer)

The Tubing acts as an artificial vein carrying the blood to your artificial kidney. (The dialyzer)

There Are Three Types Of Accesses:

A Fistula or Arteriovenous Fistula is created by directly connecting an Artery and a Vein. Studies show that the Fistula produces the best results. (Blood cleaning)

The Fistula last longer! You get a better clearance and they are less prone to infections and clotting.

A Graft or Arteriovenous Graft is created by connecting an Artery and a Vein with an artificial tube.

The Lifeline—A Catheter is inserted into a vein in the neck or chest to allow temporary Hemodialysis to be performed while waiting for the Fistula or the Graph to develop or heal and ready for use.

I was taken to surgery within hours of the decision. A Subclavian Catheter better known as a Lifeline was inserted into a vein in the right side of my chest.

This access allowed temporary Hemodialysis treatments to be conducted.

Since your veins are not strong enough or big enough to run your blood through a Dialyzer. An access had to be surgically created.

Q. Are you left handed or right handed?

A. I am right handed.

Q. Why?

A. It is beneficial to the patient to place the AV Fistula in the Non-Dominant arm. This will allow you to continue to perform your regular hobbies and crafts as normal as possible.

The Fistula is usually placed in the forearm. Due to small veins and other conditions all patients are not good candidates for the AV Fistula.

Attempts were made to place the AV Fistula at the lower wrist; but there were complications so the doctor had to make another incision, slightly below the inner bending of the arm, and two incisions above it.

The AV Fistula was surgically implanted in my left upper arm as a long term access sight for the Dialysis treatments.

The AV Fistula takes approximately two months to develop and to heal; but in some circumstances it takes a little longer, so the Lifeline is used until the healing occurs.

You may experience pain and swelling in this area for the next three to four weeks.

Precautions:

1. Arms/Legs

There should be no