Saturday, October 4, 2008

Things are looking up

Yesterday I had outpatient surgery to place a permanent dialysis access in my left arm. This was suppose to happen on Wed, but did not because of a high potassium level. High potassium level to begin with is not so bad, but when trauma from the cutting for surgery occurs, potassium levels go up. Problem with that is, it can cause heart attacks. So better safe than sorry. Anyhow, the surgery went well, I now have the new access in my arm. In about 2-3 weeks, I will be able to have the temporary access removed from my chest. Once all this is finished, Sumo and I will start training for home hemo-dialysis. The nurse told me last week, when I inquired if they could do some of the training while I was on dialysis at the center, that they could not. But she will work with us, by coming in at 6:00 am on the mornings I would be training. This would allow us to complete training each morning by 10:00 am, so the two of us could then get to our respective jobs. My supervisor is very accomodating for me. I will be able to go to work at 10-10:30, and work late, so as not to have to take any sick time or vacation time for the training.

So all in all things are looking up. I would no longer have to leave work and drive downtown 3 times a week. Instead I will work my usual schedule, then go home put myself on a machine for a couple of hours. This will enable me to spend more time doing the things I like to do, SPEND time with my family.

3 comments:

Laura said...

I am glad things are looking up again. I hope and pray that they STAY looking up. We miss you guys - I hope the training goes well, and that all goes smoothly.

Queen Mum said...

Great! Who is watching Theron at 5:30am? Is he going with when you go? Do you want him to stay with me? If you do it when Batman is born, I can watch both Abby and Theron. I will be crazy, anyway! Wait, how many training sessions would this take? I am planning to take a few days off, let's coordinate.

pappasan said...

Grandma Shirley also said she would come down and help out, during training. From what I am gathering, we would go in Monday-Friday at 6:00, learn to set the machine up, then connect me. If the flow is good, in the new graft, I may only be on the machine for a couple hours, at 5 times a week. But this way, I would be able to schedule things in advance and around dialysis much easier.