According to my countdown timer, I have 25 days to go until I get my transplant. I have to admit that I am scared to death. I had a total meltdown today and couldn't stop crying. I know it's all the pent up emotions in me coming out, but still, it wasn't fun and I have a huge headache now!
Anyway, back to dialysis. I had to get on the machine early tonight because I have to take my hubby to the train station in the morning. This is another one of the disadvantages of dialysis - it gets in the way of normal life. Instead of just being able to roll out of bed and throw on a pair of jeans, I will have to stop my machine, mask up, use my anti-bacterial stuff on my hands, then clamp both my catheter and the tube from the cassette. Then I'll have to open up two sterile packages - each containing a different type of cap for the two different lines. I'll cap both off, then roll out of bed and throw my jeans on.
Once I return home I will have to wash my hands well and dry them with a paper towel (too many germs on a cloth towel), mask back up and take the caps off both the cassette tube and my catheter and hook them together. Then I'll push the button to restart the machine and try to go back to sleep.
Okay, maybe I'm being over dramatic here - it's not really that difficult or time-consuming. It's just a small nuisance - one that I'm actually lucky to have.
40 years ago when my Dad was on dialysis, he had much more to do to prepare for dialysis and he couldn't just hook and unhook when he wanted. Once he was on the "artificial kidney", he was on it for 10 hours. Wow, it's amazing how far we've come in dialysis land.
Tomorrow I'll tell you about the great Davita team I have.
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