This morning was my fistula maintenance procedure. You know, the angiogram and fistulagram. The makeshift artery thing in my left arm, so I can do dialysis, needed it's 6 month maintenance. The signs that it was time included the spike on my arterial pressure during treatment. That always sound scary to me. When the pressures in either the arterial or venous vein rise, I imagine my veins bursting. And the least of my worries would be blood exploding out of my arm. That would could mean massive blood loss. That being said, I have no idea what the consequences would be. And we're not trying to find out. And the other sign was one or two stray blood clots forming during treatment. The good news is we caught it and took care of it before there were any more problems. In other words we didn't wait until the last minute and has to get the emergency procedure.
I went to the procedure this morning. Appointment was at 7:45 this morning and I was home by 9:30 by way of Starbucks. Lol. The procedure includes injecting dye into me to see where the narrowing of the vein where the blockage is (angioplasty). And if the vein needs to enlarged, then a balloon is inserted into the vein to expand the vein (fistulagram). I'm not put under, but I get what the doctor referred to as "happy meds". And that's administered after as numbing injection..to numb the arm. And benedryl, because I'm allergic to the dye (!). I am fully awake during the procedure. And loopy. I can see everything that's going on a monitor on my right side. Whatever they're doing to my left arm is hidden to me by a sterile surgical tent thing. And my left arm is extended. My left hand is wrapped and put into a fist. Which was fine because. And even though the pain was minimal, the pressure was a bitch..well more like uncomfortable, but tolerable. But the procedure lasted no more than 15 minutes.
The surgery..procedure...team included the prep guy Jude, my nurse Danielle, another assisting nurse and the doctor. This procedure takes place at a vascular surgical center, so this pretty much what they do all day every day. I feel pretty confident. It helps that every time I go there I see the same people......every time. I'm home now. Took a nap and I think the drugs have pretty much worn off. The good news is no treatment tonight!
Watercolor is going great. We're getting pretty good. Mixing colors is much easier now. Deep water fitness is fun. The instructor is working our butts off. And we comply. Lol. Our fitness trainer got married last weekend so we had the week off. Her partner reminded us that we could have come in and he could have worked with us instead of us skipping a week. Lol. If we think Gaylynn kicks our butts, Tony would have killed us. It's his gym, after all!
Next week will be busy. One of the organizations I belong to is ramping up for its big even next Sunday. And also next weekend is also the kidney users conference starting Friday. I get tired thinking about such a busy weekend. But I'm excited about the conference. Meeting other home dialyzers! And I have to fit a manicure and pedicure in there somewhere!
Finally it's time for me prepare to make reservations for my kid to come out here to visit us! Gah! That makes me so excited and happy! Dinner tonight will be a chefs salad. Sounds nice and easy. Preview of future items are spaghetti carbonara and French onion soup. And mushroom soup. Oh! And dads church will behaving their annual lobster fest next month and we've ordered our lobsters. Yummm !
That's it for today. Michiganders stay dry! And yes it's fall out here. Temps are moving into the 80s. Love it!
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