Class and more supplies

Today was a day full of classes.  Hubby was hooked up to a gravity dialysis bag and had 1.5 liters of solution put into his peritoneal cavity and it was removed by gravity at the end of the day.  While the solution was doing it's job, we learned how to use the machine, how peritoneal dialysis works, how to inject the bags with medicine, and proper technique to create a sterile environment.

We also met with the social worker, which never seems to end with answers that are positive, but we have the facts and that is important to move forward.

At the end of the day we left with 2 boxes of additional supplies, plus a scale, thermometer, and blood pressure machine.

Why are these supplies important?  Dialysis isn't an exact science, it takes time to figure out the amount of solution and the %.  Before starting each dialysis treatment, the patient will weigh themselves, take their blood pressure, and their temp.  After the dialysis treatment they will do it all again and record all the numbers.  This will help your dialysis team to make judgements that are best for your health. 

*Disclaimer - all the information above is for information purposes only.  I am not a nurse, doctor, or any type of medical professional.  I'm a wife taking one day at a time while taking care of a husband with PK.

Dialysis catheter band / belt

After the catheter site has healed, an extension will be added to make it longer.  Tape will no longer easily hold the catheter in place so it doesn't tug or pull, so a catheter band or belt is needed.  It can be made from a stretchy material like knit and it holds the catheter and wraps around the body so a person can remain active.

There are a few companies that sell them, but thankfully I'm blessed with the ability to design and make them myself.  Tonight I made two of them.  One for hubby and one for a little boy that is also receiving peritoneal dialysis.  The boy is only 2 and quite active I'm told, so his parents have struggled to find a band that works well.  I'm hoping to have solved that problem, if not hopefully they can give me an idea of how this band works and doesn't work, so I can try again.

Unfortunately the fabric store only had one material that is appropriate for a man and a boy and this is it... not exactly what I would have picked for a 2 year old boy.  I'm hoping his parents still like it.

Ok I decided to make the little boy a second one out of a different type of material.  Here it is.

Healing time

It has been 11 days since Hubby's dialysis catheter surgery.  He is back to where he was before the surgery.  I can't say that he is "normal" because for the last several month he has felt pretty sick every single day and I don't consider that "normal", even though it is his normal.  I'm glad the effects of surgery are over though.  I have been cleaning the exit site and changing the dressings everyday since Wednesday.  Yesterday I wasn't thrilled with how the exit site looked and even called the nurse, but she was gone for the day.  I told him if it didn't look better today I was taking him to the ER.  Thankfully it looked better.

Everyone heals at a different rate.  Hubby seems to be a slower healer.  There is no time line for recovery.  One person may heal in 2 weeks others might take 4.  Healing the dialysis catheter exit site is very important, because without proper healing a patient won't be able to start dialysis.  So take your time, protect the site, and don't rush the healing.

Sadly I wasn't able to locate a color image of this chart, but for now here is a black and white chart to help you determine the health of your exit site.  When I locate a color chart, I will share that link with you.


*Disclaimer - all the information above is for information purposes only.  I am not a nurse, doctor, or any type of medical professional.  I'm a wife taking one day at a time while taking care of a husband with PK.

Your life will change

This may seem obvious, but I'll admit I wasn't aware of how much our lives would change.  I haven't been able to work since my husband's surgery and I'm not sure if I will be able to work outside the home once dialysis starts either.  Every day seems full.  I get up early and I go until about 9 at night.  I check the online world, watch a little TV and then go to sleep, wake up and do it all again.

Emotionally things change too.  There are periods of crying that I can't explain, periods of joy when things seem "normal" and periods where I am just going through the motions and trying to move forward.  It really isn't something a person can understand until they are living it.  No one could have prepared me for all the emotions involved.

Physically things change.  I'm guessing it is mostly from the emotional roller coaster, all the appointments, and the extra things I am doing for my Hubby.  For me it is also from trying to do a ton of gardening... far more than one person can reasonably do.

For Hubby I can only imagine how hard this is on him.  I see him struggling, but I don't know that I fully understand just how much he is going through physically and mentally.

I don't have any advice for how to get through it, other than to pray.  Without faith, I don't think I could handle all of this.  Praise God for little miracles.

The very first kidney transplant

The very first kidney transplant was done in 1954.  Ronald Lee Herrick gave his kidney to his twin brother.  Dr Joseph Murray, a surgeon from Boston, performed this first successful kidney transplant, saving Ronald's brother's life.  It also proved that a transplant was a viable treatment for chronic renal disease.

Ronald and his twin brother

The history of dialysis is pretty interesting.  It was in 1943 that the first dialyzer was constructed.  It wasn't successful, however, until 1945.  To read more about the history of dialysis, you can read here.

I use to say I was born over 100 years too late, but now I know I was born right on time, because without advances with dialysis and transplant, I wouldn't have more time with my Hubby.

Boxes are here

34 boxes of dialysis supplies were delivered today.  Thankfully they fit in the spot I cleared for them.  Each one weighs about 24 pounds, so I won't be moving them.  Thankfully the man that delivered them, put them where they belong, so they are all in place.

We had two appointments today.  One with the surgeon to check up on Hubby and start talking about transplant and one with the dialysis nurse.  The dialysis nurse told us that we will be getting one more very large box with all the tubing in it.  These boxes are just the dialysis solution.  While at the appointment with the nurse we were taught how to take daily care of the catheter.  We came home with a bag of supplies for doing that.  Our house is starting to look like a hospital, but Hubby is worth it!

The cart is built!

To hold Hubby's dialysis machine and discharge bucket, I purchased a Choice Knocked Down Stainless Steal 2 shelf utility cart - 33 3/4" by 21" by 37.  A search online of prices saved me $10 by purchasing this cart from The Webstaurant Store.  Make sure you search for the cart you want and check out all the prices, including shipping to get the best deal.

Why did I pick this cart?  Originally Hubby wanted a cart with a lip around the edge to make sure nothing falls off, but after meeting with the nurse and seeing the actual machine we realized that wasn't a good idea.  The dialysis machine has a door on the front that you need to easily open, which can't happen if there is a lip.  This cart can hold up to 220 pounds, which is enough to hold the machine and the bucket.  It has 4" wheels, which can go from carpet to hardwood.  If you can find 6" wheels that is even better!  This cart fits though doorways and after a lot of rearranging, fits around our furniture.  

When I opened the box the first thing I did was make sure everything was there.  There were 4 wheels, 4 wheel protectors, 8 nuts and bolts with washers, 2 shelves, 2 handles, a small wrench, and a hex key.  I read the directions completely and followed them exactly.  I put it together by myself since Hubby is already asleep and I really didn't want him to do anything until he sees the surgeon again.  

Before assembling I used sanitizing wipes to clean every piece of the cart.  When I cleaned the handles the cloth was definitely black with dirt.  The shelves have a protective cover, which was a pain to get off, so when I cleaned them, the cloth still looked clean.  But it is a good idea to do it anyway, particularly if you are using it for medical equipment.

Assembling the cart - If you have someone to help you, it will make putting the shelves on easier.  I was able to do it alone, but it would have been nice to have help.  I loosely attached the screws, as per the instructions, and then when both shelves were attached I used the wrench and the hex key to tighten them.  At first I used the hex key to hold the bolt in place and the wrench to make it tighter, but I found it much easier to use the wrench to hold the bolt and the hex key to make it tighter.

The wheels were pretty easy to attach.  Don't turn the whole wheel, just turn the piece that actually screws into the cart.  It took me about 30 minutes to put the entire cart together.  It took me about 30 minutes to make sure all the pieces were there, wipe all the pieces down, and get that plastic off of the shelves.  So plan for about an hour to put the cart together, with help you could probably do this in about half the time.

Have a specific question about why I picked this cart?  Just leave a comment with your question and I would be happy to answer it.  Hopefully I covered everything that is important in the above text.

A little note about The Webstaurant Store - I ordered it in the morning and by the afternoon they had shipped my cart and it arrived the next day.  I just paid for standard shipping, so I was quite impressed.  They have a map on their site that will give you the amount of time it will take for your item to arrive.