Life on dialysis

1st Year on Dialysis

It was 5 years living life with the regular routine of dialysis treatments. I have experience with hemodialysis peritoneal dialysis-manual and night exchanges.

The first treatment is provided through a venous catheter for temporary access. Since I needed treatment right away, they didn’t have time to get a permanent vascular access so I could start hemodialysis treatments. They surgically inserted an access port catheter tube into my vein in my chest, Other areas they can do it is the neck, or leg near the groin. The cath has two chambers to allow a two-way flow of blood. Once the catheter was placed it gave me direct access to the machine and a needle insertion was not necessary. Catheters are not ideal for permanent access. They can clog, become infected, and cause narrowing of the veins in which they are placed. But if you need to start hemodialysis immediately like I did, a catheter will work for several weeks or months while your permanent access develops. So this is why they call it temporary.

I had my catheter for the first 9 months. I got used to it being there but I grew accustomed to it and my nephrologists recommended since I had a couple of live donors that I shouldn’t get a permanent access. But after 9 months and the begininng of the waiting game. The wait for the evaluation process being 2-4 year I decided for a permanent access.

I really wanted to do PD home treatments at that time but didn’t see how I was

going to do it with my 2 young boys and having them climbing into our bed each night. I didn’t want to take the risk. I did all my research PD verses hemodialysis. The pros and cons and they both had them. So I decided to go with Hemodialysis . I was scheduled to form the AV fistula. Basically the surgeon creates an AV fistula by connecting an artery directly to a vein, frequently in the forearm but for me it was placed on my right upper arm. The Connected the artery to the vein so it can cause more blood to flow into the vein. As a result, the vein grows larger and stronger, making repeated needle insertions for hemodialysis treatments easier.

For the surgery, I was able to get local anesthetic. The surgery was performed on an outpatient basis. The recovery was a few weeks. It required 4 months to fully develop and be ready to use. This is because they like to see the fistula properly formed since it is less likely than other kinds of vascular access to form clots or become infected. Also, properly formed fistulas tend to last many years longer than any other kind of vascular access.

I probably experienced every symptom and effects from dialysis. I’ve had some really scary moments. From cramping in my legs to my stomach. Uncontrollable urges to vomit, swelling in my arms.. Which has broken me down so many times. There were some days I just felt like I couldn’t do it anymore. I did learn a lot during my time on treatments. It was always unpredictable from day-to-day. A balance and a juggle to maintain everything. I started to have many problems with my fistula which required many different surgeries and procedures, stints and revisions.

Taken several months before removed.

The fistula continued to grow uncontrollably. Living with this deformity also was quite an experience. Not only physically but emotionally it was taking a toll as well. After 2 years I decided it was time to switch. My fistula access was becoming dangerous for me to have and painful to use. I had to come to another point in my life to make the life treatment decision. I could have had another fistula placed, a graft in correction of the current fistula or Peritoneal Dialysis.

I decided the boys were now older and I knew they could now help me more with keeping up with things. I felt it was worth trying PD home treatments and it ended up being a great decision. So in no time I was training with a PD nurse and on the road to doing PD. I had another surgery to place the catheter. A technique was performed with only local anesthetic. A small cut, below and a little to the side of your naval (belly button), which made a guide for the catheter through a slit into the peritoneal cavity. I had to wait about 4 weeks for the access to fully heal. This break-in period allows the stomach to build up scar tissue that will hold the catheter in place.

During this time I started to train almost daily on technique and they stressed the most about being careful because PD is all great but the downside is the worst ever. You can get a nasty infection called peritonitis and trust me I was trained thoroughly and somehow caught it still within my first couple months. Please visit the following the web links below and will be in my links page as well for more information on the treatment options available.

I wanted you to share a summary of my personal account with dialysis. You will find my everyday accounts under: Dialysis Life Catagory

Treatment Option Links:
Kidney Options

Davita