Pat's Adventures in Dialysis, the "It's Daylight When I Leave Now" Edition

iPod shuffled to Kanye West, Jamie Foxx". "I ain't sayin she's a Golddigger, but.." Props to Ray Charles. Monday at dialysis. Again, who are these people? Where ....are my regulars? Two needles working again. Keep hope alive. I seem to have so much to say. I have a list of topics, but I have to complete the ones I've started. So without further ado, I'll continue with dialysis adventures.

So I told you about Karma. I acted ugly. That same day toward the end of my session, my blood clotted and was clogging up the machine. That isn't really a problem. The nurse said I had about 20 minutes left. I could get rehooked up or just call it a day. I jumped at the chance to stop. For the record, you should get every second of dialysis because its the only time you get kidney function. Remember...your kidneys 24/7. My kidneys 9 hours/ week. Anyway at that time I was still in denial and certain that my kidneys were just temporarily malfunctioning.

Laura unhooks me. Takes my blood pressure. I'm good to go. I roll out to the waiting area. Brian is waiting. He takes my bag and we head out into the hallway. About five feet from the doorway I feel funny....lightheaded. I grab Brian, then tell him to hold me. I wrap my arms around his neck to stay standing. Then I say lets go back so I can sit down. Then I just fell on the floor. I was hot, the floor was oh so cool. I recalled saying, "a cool floor is cool". Lol. "Welcome to the Jungle", Guns N Roses". Guitar genius.

Some people saw what happened and went right back into the center to let them know what happened. A bunch of techs and nurses came out. So many white lab coats. Lol lol. They asked me questions. I recognized a few people. I apologized for passing out. I was not embarrassed. I was...surprised. I got put in a wheelchair and rolled back to my chair. My blood pressure was taken. It was 85/66. Every time I was asked to stand, the pressure would drop and I'd fall back into the chair. My pressure would not go up. Now I need to say there is remedy for this and I don't know why the entire staff brain farted this time.

The doctor was paged. He told the staff to call EMS and get me to the hospital. ;( . EMS gets there, my pressure is still low. Still can't stand up. I get loaded on a gurney and off we go. By the time I get there, I'm stabilized. Blood tests show potassium is low, so they make me drink some yuck stuff and kick me out. I really mean kick me out. "Ms Fields, you can get dressed and go now". "Other Side of the Game", Erykah Badu. "Brother has this complex occupation".

I get dressed and try to walk out, but I don't have my walker. :( I had no escort or a wheelchair. Finally someone sees me struggling and assists me. I get to the waiting area. Brian is waiting for me. <3. We get home around 9 PM. So anyway, next session I apologize profusely to my tech for being a jerk and told her what happened after she left. Karma. Of course she was gracious and I haven't had any more meltdowns. I've since had more low pressure incidents, but those are stories for other days. *****I call the hospital, the "ghetto hospital". When an administrator came to survey me about her hospital, told her it is a ghetto hospital. She was insulted. Eh ****

Signing off with "I Ain't No Joke", Eric B and Rakim. Brian helped me appreciate Rakim's flow. Lol. My younger staff were tickled that I like rap music.