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Tuesday, March 27, 2018

The "Just a Day..and a Procedure", edition

Good Tuesday morning!  I slept well last night. And most of yesterday afternoon. Let's start at the beginning, Monday morning. We started the day at Heritage Park Aquatic Center. We're on the northwest side of Henderson. The pool is damn near in the mountains on the southeast end of Henderson. Literally cross town.  As a matter of fact I can see the roads dead end into the mountains or the desert near the pool!  Lake Mead is basically just over the southern mountains. I digress. 

We get to the pool, change clothes and head in to the pool area. Yeah, the lifeguards know our names now. They're mostly kids and are amused at the antics of "seniors" at deep water fitness. Brian and I are at side of the pool with the more "vocal" swimmers. Heh heh heh. Again. I digress. 

The class before us is finishing up. And the members of our class are straggling in. Oh yeah. Our instructor is a tiny little thing. With the voice of a drill Sargeant. I can hear her while I'm in the dressing room!  Once class starts we move nonstop for the next hour. Legs, arms, core, balance, stretching, resistance, range of motion, cardio are just a few things we work on. We use barbells, noodles, fins, parachutes, kick boards, and tethers. Not on the same day!!! It is work. We bitch and moan. An yet we still show up!  Lol. When we finish and get to the locker room, there is a lot of sighing and deep breathing. We just finished moving for an hour...non-stop. We complain and then show up for the next class. Lol. And yeah..it's worth it. 

Our next stop was breakfast. Metro Diner. It's pretty good and there are some good breakfast choices. And they have the best hazelnut coffee!  Portions can be large...that seems to be a "thing" in Las Vegas...ridiculous portions. Time for me and Brian to share meals. I digress. 

We head home and rest from the workout because I have medical procedure at 1:00. A dialysis related procedure. I read my instructions at the diner. No food 3 hours prior to the procedures. Whew. We finished breakfast just after 10. We chill and entertain Glen until it was time to go. The Vasvular center is clear across town in Las Vegas. We try to plan the route and time because there is a massive construction project on the busiest freeways in Nevada. So then the streets get congested. Anyway. We timed it ok and arrived before 1:00. I got called in the back just before 2:00. It was busy. Oops, lots of people needed procedures. 

Let me backtrack. We are at a vascular access center.  This center services dialysis patients. Our access are our lifelines. Literally.  If the access clots, closes or blow, or any of a number things, we would be unable to do dialysis. And so then we'd die. So what usually happens is your access may clot or close up over the weekend. Or even overnight. I call my nurse who calls the access center to  schedule the appointment. On this Monday there was a steady stream of patients. For my case, it wasn't a dire emergency. My nurse gave me a work around , but the issue still needed to be addressed. 

So finally I'm called back. Brian comes with me. I chuckle at the size of my file.  I think this is my fourth time there. The nurse assures me my file is small!  Lol. We go over my meds. I remind her that I allergic to the dye...that's injected into my access to see where the blockage is. It's in my record and the solution of using benedryl is there.  So the first time I had the procedure, I had an immediate bad reaction to the dye in the middle of the procedure...the team of course, was professional and addressed it immediately and moved on. 

I'm prepped on a table. I'm hooked up to the automatic blood pressure machine. Some nodes are placed on my back and chest. I get the oxygen tube. My left arm is stretched out palm up on an extension of the table. It's get washed with blue stuff. A glove is put on the hand. A paper barrier is put up between my head and arm so I can't see what's going on. Boo. On my left side are 2 monitors. So I can see as the doc is looking for blockages and I can see when the balloon is inserted for the angioplasty. Doc gives me fentynal (?), benedryl, and inserts the dye. I actually taste the meds as they are administered and then get high. It's conscious sedation. I'm aware of what's going on and what's being said and the team is talking to me..but I feel...loopy. The procedure is fine, although I can feel when the balloon is expanded.  Lot. Of. Pressure. I squealed. Doc apologizes. Lol. Mission accomplished. 

After the procedure I go back to a recovery room. My stars are good. Doc explains what the problem was and what got fixed. I get apple juice and animal crackers. Put my shirt back on. No pressure on my left arm. Can't even use it it stand up. Done by 3:00.  We leave. Brian picks up some chicken. I slept on the way home. Because drugs. We get home, I stagger into the bedroom and fall asleep. I thought I'd watch the news but it was after 6:30 when I woke up!  At a little. Went back to sleep. Because drugs. Woke up just before 11:00. Geez. Strong drugs. And I'm sure recovery of swimming figured in there somewhere. And then.  I slept all night. Geez. 

But now, I'm just fine.  Back to running errands today. Massive hugs for Brian for bring there. At one point I woke up to find a blanket over me. I know I didn't do that. <3   

So there you have it. I needed the procedure, but it was just part of my day. I've had it several times. It's still kinda scary because it's a procedure. But you roll with the punches. It's part of dialysis. And there was a steady stream of dialysis patients at the clinic getting procedures. 2 doctors.  2 teams. 2 procedure rooms. Of course I was clowning. And during recovery, a patient in the stall next to me waiting for the procedure (his first time) starting clowning with me!  Lol. 

That's it for today!  Looking at the 80s by the end of the week. Time to pull out the sandals. And yes, I had my pedicure last week!  :-D    Have a wonderful day! 

Procedure room. 


Angioplasty. Before balloon. During balloon and after balloon. Blood can now flow freely!! 

How the fistula works. We don't want a blockage here. 




Wednesday, March 21, 2018

The "March is World Kidney Month..But You Already Knew That", edition.

Good Wednesday afternoon. It's World Kidney month and it time to remind you to get your kidneys checked. Clearly you don't want to me writing a blog about kidney failure. Nor do I want you too. Get those kidneys checked. 

Yes, it's afternoon.  I've been to deep water fitness, the credit union and my monthly care team appointment. And we stopped at Home Depot and got 2 large purple hibiscus plants in pots. They are the first of several potted plants were getting for our cute patio. I also want some impatiens.  They should do well. There is an ulterior motive for the plants on the patio. The gated community has a few grassy areas.  And the back our home has one of the largest grassy areas. And the back of our house faces the street, as does our patio. The yard is maintained by the HOA. And the yard guys are doing stuff in the community every day. The landscaping is beautiful. Anyway. There is a demarcation of our "property" and the grassy area/lawn. People walk their dogs there on the lawn. And before you freak, the dog owners have to pick up the doggy poop. That's fine. I just don't want dogs nor their people encroaching too close to our patio...hence the plant and flower barrier. Also Glen raises hell when the dogs and people get too close. So the people walking their dogs don't linger. It sounds like we have a vicious dog inside. Lolllolololol. 6 month old puppy. Lol. I'll be getting 3-4 more plants and Brian will put his herb garden planter there also. And yes, we have room for a grill and patio furniture. Coming soon. 

Oh yeah. The HOA posted a note reminding people to pick up the poop. Otherwise they'll hire a company to do it and raise the HOA fee. :-{  I'd be really pissed if I didn't have a dog and that's why my HOA fees went up. 

Speaking of Glen, how's he doing, you ask. He's a hoot. Got a haircut. He was looking a bit wild. So he looks more like a westie and less like a puppy. But make no mistake, he's still a puppy. He hurt his leg a few weeks ago in a barking frenzy. He dove off a chair to raise hell and fell with a thud. He "oomphed" and kept on going, but with a limp. Brian got him to the vet. No breaks. Whew. But a bruised something. Have him take it easy. Ok. Sure. Easy that first day as the vet gave him some drugs. But after that?  He still ran...and he ran like hell with 3 legs. It didn't phase  him at all lol. But he couldn't jump up to look out the window.  He also missed his obedience class.  By the next week, the limp turned into a skip and he eventually was back to top of the sofa barking at dogs and people passing by. And chasing toys, and knocking on bedroom doors for people to come out...puppy stuff. And he went back to class this past Saturday. So he's fine now. I think in his mind he was always fine!  

Finally on the dialysis front.  It's going ok. I had a double dose of iron injections today so my energy level should go up. My arterial buttonhole started leaking blood about a week ago. What happened was after I finished treatment, there would be blood on the gauze when we removed the bandage. And each successive time there would be more blood. Ugh  My nurse wants me to start a new buttonhole.  Boo. I'll have to stick myself with a sharp needle in the same hole for 3 weeks to establish the buttonhole, about 12-15 sticks. Boo.  My nurse started today. For the first time ever the needle stick hurt. Bleah. And I now have to visit the vascular surgeon next week. I guess I'll get a fistulagram and angioplasty. Ah well. The life of a dialysis patient. For reference. The fistulagram is where the doctor looks at my fistula using ultrasound. If there is a narrowing or blockage then the angioplasty is in order....insert a balloon in the fistula(a man made created vein where I stick in the dialysis needles) and the balloon expands the fistula. No. It doesn't hurt, but then I'm in conscious sedation anyway. I get kinda loopy. Lol. 

Also the ablation procedure I had a while back has been successful. I no longer have to take the meds to control my parathyroid and the lab numbers are stellar. My entire team is ecstatic. Whoo hoo!  

Oh yeah. It's pollen season here. Let the sneezing, sniffling and snotting begin!  The wind kicked up and we saw the pollen blowing off the trees!!!!!  :-(     I though it was dust or sand  at first, but there wasn't any sandy land near us.  And oh yeah. I got some wind chimes for my patio!!!  

Well that's it for today. Not missing the snow in Michigan. It's 75 here. Heh heh heh. 



Purple hibiscus. Pretty! 


Glen before trip to groomer.  


Glen immduately after trip to groomer.  Yeah, it's the same puppy! 

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

The "I'm Still Here", edition.

Good Wednesday morning. It's been a while. It's also National Kidney Month. I haven't been motivated to write. No idea where the motivation went. Blog topics used to crowd my brain so much that I'd have weeks worth of material. Now, not so much. I'm sure it's because of my treatment schedule. When I was in center, I had 3.5 hours 3 days a week to write.  It was consistent. Once I switched to home hemodialysis the treatment time changed. And I wasn't as bored since I was home and had Brian to talk with and...I was home!  Plus treatment was in the evening. Then I switched to nocturnal home hemodialysis. So I'm doing treatment at home, in my bed while I sleep. Can't write while I sleep!  And then we got Glen the puppy, well, time became even more scarce. Anyway. It's time for an entry. 

It's been over a month. So how's it going?  The dialysis front has been ok. My phosphourus spiked to a dangerously high level. I got it back down. So my labs are fine but I still can't get to the protein level. The magic number is 4.0. I hover between 3.8 and 3.9.  Lol. No one can eat seven servings of protein a day. My parathyroid levels have stabilized much to the delight of my nephrologist and endocrinologist. And me, too. Looks like I may not need another session of sticking a needle in my neck. {{Ugh}}. What puzzles me is the idea of doing a series of injections in ones throat makes people cringe, so they'd rather have throat surgery?  I look at this way. 1-4 injections over time if needed. Or having my throat slit, parathyroid removed and a prolonged hospital stay while my calcium levels are stabilized. Oh yeah. I've had breakfast immediately after the injections. No they don't hurt...local anesthetic. Yes, the IDEA of a needle in my throat is disconcerting, but it's in and out. The doctor using the ultrasound on my neck is worse than the injection. Ok. Enough of that. 

A few weeks ago a friend from high school visited. She was going though some challenges the same time I started dialysis. Look at us now!  It was an absolute delight to see Doris!! She stayed with friends. When I looked up the address I realized her friends live very close to where swim!  Walking distance!  She wanted to go to a Chinese restaurant since it was the start of the Chinese New Year. Well Las Vegas has a huge Chinatown. More like Asian town. Anyway. We went to Joyful House Chinese  Restaurant.  Family style. Not like Stanley's. Very very good. Table had a lazy susan and we rolled that baby around trying out food. We'll be back. Enjoyed seeing Doris!  Lots of hugs!!

Then. One morning a few weeks ago I get on Facebook and find it that a good friend from elementary school had died. I'd known him 5th grade. Cliff had a radio program in Detroit and called me to ask for an interview after the shooting here in October. He wanted a Las Vegas resident perspective.  I told him I live 7-8 mile away from the area. I did the interview anyway. I did have have some local news that hadn't made it nationally and relayed it to him. How about that? Afterwards he called to thank me and we talked about way back when. He also was a kidney transplant recipient. His younger brother Michael donated a kidney. Cliff and Mike have been very supportive of me during my kidney failure journey. Cliff will be very much missed. 

Finally Glen. My fuzz ball. He's doubled in size and weight, on his way to becoming a cinderblock. It's time to get a larger travel crate. He's mostly house trained. Not bad for 6 months. I took him for a haircut. It was pretty disastrous so I'm going to try it again this week. Glen and Brian started an obedience class. Glen was just delighted to be in a park with other dogs. He did do ok though. And then.  While barking maniacally at anyone and anything that passes in front of the house, he jumps of a char and injures his left rear leg. Brian rushes him to vet, he gets X-rays, no broken bones. Just a bad bruise. They gave him painkillers. He was out for the rest of the day.  He's getting better. Get this. I'm on the floor with him hugging and comforting him. Dad goes into the kitchen. Glen races to the kitchen at Mach One speed on 3 legs. Lol. He's just now back to jumping on the back of the sofa to look out the window. He's doing fine. 

Well. That's it for today. This is National Kidney Month. Get those beans checked. You know the drill. Have a great day!