Saturday, October 1, 2011

hi all, i know it has been about a week, since my last blog post. Well, i am pleased to say, that that nasty disposition PCT, (patient care tech for those that aren't familiar with this staff abbreviation). She has been so nice to me lately, not even once, did she ask me what time i was scheduled to be hook to the dialyzer. I do think it is because, i shared my continued issues that i had with her, with my neph, as well as the renal care manager. They must have said something to her. You guys, she is being so nice, that i think she is overkilling me with kindness. Coming around what seems like four times, during my treatment session, and asking how i feel, or is everything alright. What gives! she is even become interested in my fashion sense, saying things like, i like your style, where do you buy your clothes, this really took me for a loop, as i didn't think she paid any attention to whatever i was wearing. We even talked about all the sales, that are going on at our Neighborhood Mall, ain't that something. And when i get ready to leave, after my session, she says, have a nice weekend, and i tell her the same in return. Things are so much more pleasant now, so maybe i can have more pleasant treatment sessions, and not have to be all angry, because of an encounter with her of sorts. Now, on with my other blogging, i notice that a patient name - Bernard, an asian, that i became very good friends with, well, mainly my daughter, who always chats with him, before visiting my station. I notice that he hasn't been at the unit, for several days, so i inquired to a PCT about him, and she said she can't tell me where he is at present, and she suggest that i ask an RN about him. From my many years of encountering this issue, the pt. is usually been hospitalized, on vacation, or transfered to another unit, or the best reason is, they have received the blessing of a kidney transplant or pancreas and kidney transplant. I really don't know what she meant by this, and i didn't know that a patients whereabouts were sacred, it is so twisted how they try to be so secretive about any of the pts. at the unit. I feel, we as pts. form a certain bound to one another, and to me that is so very touching, although there are some pts. that prefer to keep to themselves, but in my opinion, that is not very healthy for any pt. to stay closed off from others at the unit. I have been observing and experiencing these protocols at varies units for well over two decades now, and i see we are still having these issues, even today. I am aware, that when i return to hemo temporary, that some of the techs, that i was acquainted with, during my previous ten year run on hemo, seem so skeptic, to even say hi to me, or to just acknowledge that they have know me for a very long time, but i won't fret over it, all i need to be concentrating on, is having my surgery, and patiently awaiting my return to PD, and for me, i am vigorously waiting for that day, mainly because i don't particulary like doing treatment from a catherer. i was watching an elderly male latin descent pt. across from me (Orlando's), wife placing partitions around him, and you know i was curious, just as i observed many other pts. wondering what is going to transpire, so i continued to watch this pt. be reclined upright, and he then stands up, and i could see his pants drop to his ankles, by looking down under the partition, by then, i am wondering what in the world is going on over there, because the machine makes such loud sounds, that i couldn't hear, any of what was going on over there, you know just me being nosey (lol)and of course, this is a little distraction for me and as well as other pts. observing, and yes, this could help to pass some of this boredome time away for most of us pts (lol). Finally, his wife pulls his pants back up and continues to sat him way back in the recliner, the partitions were then removed, and as his wife was returning back to his station, i had to ask her, why did she put the partitions around her husband, and she remarks, with he had to urinate, and i was so surprised, and remarked with, he still has a good urinating flow, and i continued by asking, why is he on dialysis? And she said because he doesn't have enough function to not be on dialysis. At that point, i was thinking that if he can urinate somewhat, then he must be getting some of his toxins and excess fluid off. He doesn't need but, 2 1/2 hrs. of hemo treatment, and that is great, i remember when there was a time, when i didn't need but 2 1/2 hrs. of treatment - MWF. and i was still urinating, but not once, did i need to use it, during my treatment, well anyway, i guess Orlando's kidneys still have a little kick in them, because he got the urge on the machine (lol), i ain't mad at him, but i am a little jealous of him, he probably does well with his fluid intake. When i started PD, after my ten year run on hemo, within a year, i wasn't urinating much at all anymore, but since my return to hemo, i am starting to urinating again, but not much, just enough to hear the precious sounds of just a little urinating, where i hadn't heard anything, but a little tinkling from time to time, while on PD. i know what you non-dialysis followers are saying, all this pissing and urinating talk, what can i say, this is our lingo in the renal/dialysis world, it is all about piss and urinating, (something most of us dialysis pts. are deprived of, and many of us, for a great deal of years, like myself). Well so much for that. Oh wow! why am i seeing so many pts. wheeling a suitcase in the unit, boy has the dialysis life changed, since my previous 10 year saga on hemo. I guess it is because, since the airline type upright rolling suitcases, was made available for public purchase, and they have truly become very affordable in last decade, that hemo pts. began to purchase them, to house their many anemitites, such as their blanket or blankets, some reading material, and course today, many are breaking their labtops out, MP3 players, and now their e-books - such as the nook, e-reader or kindle, to keep them entertained, because at our unit, we have a selective few stations on the individual TVs provided for the pts. entertainment usage, and you can just hang up Saturdays, (there is nothing on those TVs), that is why i bring my nook and MP3 player, to keep me entertained, although when i have a craft project to work on, i bring my crafting to keep me entertained. I also do word search, to pacify myself. I was at this unit, ten years ago, and we had the best cable setup, i could even watch HSN, QVC and Shop NBC, although at that time, i couldn't order anything, because i didn't own a cell phone. Oh, i wanted to share something to do with PD, i recently read a post, that a husband was crying out for help in finding a solution to his wife's drain fluid issues, which were causing problems with their plumbing, and i know all too well about these issues, as i dealt with them in the initial beginning of my 10 yr. PD saga. I shared with him, my plight with this issue, and i also shared our solution with him as well. I continued by saying, and i don't know why the PD nurse doesn't warn their new PD pts. that using the drain lines, and draining their solution in the toilet, that when the solution is airborne, that it becomes a jell like substance, which can cause potential trouble with clogging in the plumbing, but no, they say something when you actually experience this, go figure! maybe they don't share this with their pts., because it may discouraged them from choosing PD over Hemo. Oh, if any of you PD pts. have issues with your plumbing and PD solution, i told this f/b friend, that my husband flushes our toilet with Rid-X once a month, and it has worked ever since, no more leaking or plumbing issues. Well, that is it for my blogging today, i need to get back to my PKD walk business. Until next blog, take care and all the best to you guys. Glo