Today Mike had an appointment with a vascular surgeon to discuss having a fistula ready in case / for when he needs to start dialysis. Of course, as is usually the case with Mike, things aren't quite as simple as they might be. After a good look at Mike's veins and arteries in his forearm it turns out that the vein they usually use for the fistula has a branch, making it unsuitable and so they will need to travel up the arm to just past the elbow. No more using the left arm vampires! I have to say that the surgeon is an extremely pleasant chap.
I think we are slowly getting used to the idea of dialysis, it is inevitably a bit scary and there is of course the worry that it will take over Mike's life, but we have been told that with the new home dialysis machines, the freedom to do it when you like makes life much nicer than regular hospital visits. The machine comes in a "small" box that is portable, which means you can take it "on the road" with you.
Life is generally very peaceful at the moment, well it is when we haven't got the hospital and its doctors stressing us out! Long may it continue.
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Hi Lorna,
ReplyDeleteAlways something new and interesting going on. Suppose it makes for a different kind of interesting life. Is the Fistula like a hickmann or picline than will need to be cleaned? I need to do some reading up on this whole dialysis thing so I can understand it better.
I can see life being run around 'the box', a bit like a baby's dummy. Shame man, well I hope that it will be later than sooner.
Glad to hear you are otherwise well.
xx
PS Was this wedding photo taken a while back? I would love to see a photo of what you both look like now :)
ReplyDeleteHi Vivienne, The wedding photo was taken June 2011, six months after Mike's SCT.
DeleteI will have to get someone to take a nice photo of us both now!
Lorna