Just got back from dialysis

Hi, Dialysis went ok tonight. My arm was burning toward the end, using a new needle site for the fistula and this was causing a bit of discomfort. I have plasma tomorrow in the morning and then am going back to Devon to stay with my parents until the next dialysis on Sunday.

I am looking forward to different scenery. For the past 7 weeks I have basically either been in my flat or at hospital avoiding human contact - it will all be worth it.

I am so thankful to everyone who has donated and is spreading the message about raising a million. The key is in the numbers - if we can all work together and tell people about the idea and the charity and that we are asking for

£2 plus telling 10 people about our fund raising effort that would be brilliant. When we get to a million I would like everyone who donated or told a friend to feel that they were a key part in raising a million.

A million thanks.



If by any chance you run a website or blog and want to be part of raising a million and would be kind enough to put the above widget on your site then please visit http://www.justgiving.com/amillionthanks and click on the promote this page link. You will be able to get the widget from there.

Half Marathon

Completed the Bath Half marathon last Sunday. Did it in 2 hours 45 mins, not fast but felt fine all the way around. Half way round I had a decision to make - should I try and do it as fast as I can or should I relax and enjoy it- I took the latter option. Have signed up to do the Windsor half marathon in October.

Dialysis ok over the last week, had one needleing problem last week but it is ok. Used a new site last night up the arm and that worked fine.

Still await news from the Docs.

Fistula

Dialysis went well today. Bumped into my doctor and mentioned the previous fistula probelms - he said not to worry about. Then spoke to my nurse and he had recieved the same information from the access specialist - reassuring....

Fistula? Problems

My fistula worked fine last night but they did a flow test on it. The test showed that there was no recirculation and that the pressure through the fistula was good. The flow rate through the fistula is much to high according to the nurse and this could be putting pressure on my heart. I had asked about this last month and the doc said it was probably ok - I think now they will scan it and have a bit of a panick about what to do.

Hopefully the transplant will happne in time and they can just tie off the fistula once I am stable. The only problem with this is that I loose a potential access point for dialysis - this is not good for a renal patient as we only have a limited number of places to create fistulas.

I wait and see the outcome- perhaps I will be operated on for the fistula before the transplant??

Update

Had a problem with my fistula on Wednesday - was at the satellite unit and my venous needle site pressure rose sharply which they tried to fix but it eventually blew giving me a bruise and some pain. The resited spot was fine - I hope that tomorrow goes well. I have a patient forum meeting with the head of the renal department and other managers - the last one seemed to be well run, it will be interesting to see if any objectives/aims have been met.

I also need to sort out the situation of going to different dilaysis units - this is no good. I need to be settled if and when my treatment starts, I think I need to be around doctors and nurses which know me. This will lower my stress levels etc. I will try and explain this to the lady tomorrow - she deals with numbers not patients...

I have started my research for what is happiness and plan to make notes here - my uncle has done some interesting work on this as well which I will use as well.

I need to do some running- have not run since Sunday. Legs have been tired - no excuse.