The Unofficial Chatterbox Thread! Everyone is Welcome!

[funnygarcia]

awww, cute little fur ball Sarah.. awesome deal on the time share spot.

I've been too nervous to try a time share thing, some of them are hard pressure selling. Plus our smallish income would not even get us in the door for some locations. They would laugh in our face as they booted us out.

 

[funnygarcia]

UGH!

E's fistula/ access is causing problems again. Now it is clotted off, less blood flow to the fingers-- all tingly like he slept on it.
His center asked him to come in, our regular nurse is on vacation-- wooohoo! -- had our fave nurse and one from another center look at it. They pushed, prodded, listened for blood flow, stuck a needle in-- nothing happening.

Back to the hospital in the morning to de-clot. If it doesn't have good flow they will put in a perma-cath--semi permanent IV catheter tunneled under his collar bone and placed into the vena cava of the heart-- yuck! He might need a new fistula all together.

 

[sameyeyam]

UGH!

E's fistula/ access is causing problems again. Now it is clotted off, less blood flow to the fingers-- all tingly like he slept on it.
His center asked him to come in, our regular nurse is on vacation-- wooohoo! -- had our fave nurse and one from another center look at it. They pushed, prodded, listened for blood flow, stuck a needle in-- nothing happening.

Back to the hospital in the morning to de-clot. If it doesn't have good flow they will put in a perma-cath--semi permanent IV catheter tunneled under his collar bone and placed into the vena cava of the heart-- yuck! He might need a new fistula all together.

I have no idea what that means, but doesn't sound good! I think E. needs to join the Komen Message Board, he would fit right in with us breast cancer ladies...if it's not one thing, it's another! Just when you think everything is ok, well guess what, something new pops up.

Well I'm sure they'll get something figured out.

 

[sameyeyam]

Sarah - cute new kitty.

Megan - GO TO SLEEP!

Bernice - Happy Belated 14,000th post!

 

[dizzyami]

I am SOOOO DUMB!! I hopped on the hubbies face book page to check something out really quick, and then I switched over to mine, and I checked which friends I have online right now.. and I saw him on there.. and I got all excited! Ohhh!! He's online! OMG. I am SOO DUMB! Hello!! Not only is he here, SLEEPING.. and we only have the one computer!! DUH! I am totally going to blame that one on the twins.

UGH!

E's fistula/ access is causing problems again. Now it is clotted off, less blood flow to the fingers-- all tingly like he slept on it.
His center asked him to come in, our regular nurse is on vacation-- wooohoo! -- had our fave nurse and one from another center look at it. They pushed, prodded, listened for blood flow, stuck a needle in-- nothing happening.

Back to the hospital in the morning to de-clot. If it doesn't have good flow they will put in a perma-cath--semi permanent IV catheter tunneled under his collar bone and placed into the vena cava of the heart-- yuck! He might need a new fistula all together.

 

[MotoXPrincess99]

awww, cute little fur ball Sarah.. awesome deal on the time share spot.

I've been too nervous to try a time share thing, some of them are hard pressure selling. Plus our smallish income would not even get us in the door for some locations. They would laugh in our face as they booted us out.

DBF and I have been to 2 other time share thingys and have gotten $50 gift cards, free trips...is that bad going just for the free stuff when we know we aren't going to buy???

They have never asked us for proof of our income so what we write down must be okay. I read online that for the place we are going in a few weeks you have to make more that $40,000 per year. Well we don't since DBF isn't working right now so hopefully the presentaion is on the last day or they might give us the boot on our first day there.

 

[staley7580]

OKAY... I think we maybe have a plan? You know... Only my 5th or 6th for this trip. I THINK what we want to do is stay offsite with my mom for the first week.. From the 1st to the 8th. We are going to get a rental van, and she wants to go to Seaworld. Okay.

Week two I think we are going to do two room at the Pop. We have thought about the family suites... but decided that 2 rooms at the Pop was a better fit for us. Besides, the kids have wanted to stay there... And for all those nights, the 8th-16th it is only $1000 for each room. What a deal! Hopefully some awesome deal will come out before then. Free dining, or something.

 

[Albort]

$1,000 a room? 8 days right????

 

[staley7580]

$1,000 a room? 8 days right????

Yes

 

[Albort]

Yes

oh, thats not too bad.

Weee for Disney. :|

 

[MotoXPrincess99]

 

[funnygarcia]

Dialysis 101

Fistula: A surgically created access for dialysis use. In Eloy's case it is a "native" or natural type, using his own veins/arteries. It's an artery pulled up to just under the skin surface and attached to a vein.. Eloy sticks in two needles into the fistula to dialyze (clean his blood).. one needle for arterial - pulling blood out, one needle for venous- to return blood back to body.

Radiologist happily used ultrasound, dug around in the fistula to pump it with dye and take pictures of the blood flow for all of his arm.. seeking out any clots to yank back out. After an hour, he gave up and called the nephrologist-- the fistula is blocked and can't be fixed.

Another hour later and Eloy is now the proud owner of a permcath in his chest. On hospital shows they will say "we need a central line" basically the same thing, but it's a brand name specific to dialysis. Larger in diameter than a regular IV and tunneled under his collar bone, the end of it is in the large blood vessel that enters the heart.

Now we have three days of training at his home hemo center to learn how to care for the site (sterile dressing changes, put heparin in the lines, flush them , etc) and how to get on and off of dialysis. pick up supplies.. hospital masks and sterile gloves, different size syringes than we typically use.

Gotta be extremely careful, no oops of leaving a clamp undone.. we're talking major blood leakage and it's a direct line into his body, gotta keep the site as clean/sterile as possible. That type of infection would kill him.. nice huh?

But hey! No needles for awhile.



Hopefully they can schedule him in for a new fistula to be made, but it takes 6 weeks for it to heal and "mature" before he can use it. Permcath is going to be our friend for a few months.

At least now he can be believed that yes something is wrong! His regular nurse poo-pooed the other times it gave him grief.

 

[sameyeyam]

Ahhh...makes sense now. In the breast cancer world we call those a Port. Most of the people going thru chemo opt to have one installed on their chest, just below the collar bone. But you know me I decided to tough it out and let them just use my arm veins for chemo.

End result was the veins in my right arm are pretty much shot, but the good thing is I didn't have to go thru 2 more surgical procedures to have it installed and then removed.

Most of the ladies I knew that had them installed liked them. So I'm guessing E will also. Nobody I knew ever had problems with them.

 

[MotoXPrincess99]

Good morning!

 

[funnygarcia]

Most of the ladies I knew that had them installed liked them. So I'm guessing E will also. Nobody I knew ever had problems with them.

ahh, but a portcath for frequent IV drug infusions is a bit different than a permcath for dialysis. Catheter does not give optimal dialysis, over time his measurement of "adequacy" (called Kt/V) will tumble down... making for one sickly guy, at least he runs 6 days a week instead of the typical in center-- just enough to stay alive -- style of treatment.

At home they shoot for 2.0 or higher for Kt/V (E is usually 2.6 if he's not having problems). In center goal is 1.0, just enough to maintain life per Medicare guidelines, if your KT/V is higher then you must be "getting too much" and the center will cut treatment length or switch to smaller dialyzers (artificial kidney) .. anything to cut a few more pennies to bump the profit line.

Also, renal failure patients have higher levels of bacteria on the skin-- weird huh?

Today we learned how to change the dressing, our fave nurse told us "this is Davita policy" as she wrinkled her nose and muttered something about "not my choice" as she applied just a piece of gauze to the site.
How to get on and off of dialysis, do labs, and heparin flushes to keep the site open. Lots of gloves, lots of gauze to clean, and masks for everyone.

Ran to Target afterwards and got him a small standing mirror , placement is a little too high for E to see the actual site for the dressing change. When she took off the bandage we all chuckled, the cath site is right in line with his Superman symbol tattoo.... He is now Super Cath Man!

 

[sameyeyam]

ahh, but a portcath for frequent IV drug infusions is a bit different than a permcath for dialysis. Catheter does not give optimal dialysis, over time his measurement of "adequacy" (called Kt/V) will tumble down... making for one sickly guy, at least he runs 6 days a week instead of the typical in center-- just enough to stay alive -- style of treatment.

At home they shoot for 2.0 or higher for Kt/V (E is usually 2.6 if he's not having problems). In center goal is 1.0, just enough to maintain life per Medicare guidelines, if your KT/V is higher then you must be "getting too much" and the center will cut treatment length or switch to smaller dialyzers (artificial kidney) .. anything to cut a few more pennies to bump the profit line.

Also, renal failure patients have higher levels of bacteria on the skin-- weird huh?

Today we learned how to change the dressing, our fave nurse told us "this is Davita policy" as she wrinkled her nose and muttered something about "not my choice" as she applied just a piece of gauze to the site.
How to get on and off of dialysis, do labs, and heparin flushes to keep the site open. Lots of gloves, lots of gauze to clean, and masks for everyone.

Ran to Target afterwards and got him a small standing mirror , placement is a little too high for E to see the actual site for the dressing change. When she took off the bandage we all chuckled, the cath site is right in line with his Superman symbol tattoo.... He is now Super Cath Man!

But seriously, I'm always torn on our current health care system. Yes, we have some wonderful procedures to help keep us alive. But most of those procedures are extremely expensive. Part of me wants to say, who cares, do whatever it takes at whatever cost. But the other part of me says, we don't have unlimited resources, so I understand the need to try and save money where they can. But I think they also need to take quality of life into account. I don't know the answer, it's complicated.

 

[funnygarcia]

Exactly.

Cutting costs wherever possible makes sense, but sometimes the cost cutting on something small (just a few cents difference between a large and a small dialyzer) leads to more costs because the skimping now means a sicker patient. Snowball effect: more care needed.. hospitalizations.. expensive tests..more medications...not able to work thus loss of taxes paid into the system..needing welfare... etc.

My dad's favorite thing to say when we had various home projects... "If you're going to do something, then do it right the first time.. or don't bother to do it all" That tidbit can be applied in many situations.

 

[staley7580]

WAVES of irritation are pouring out of me. WAVES. I have spent HOURS on the computer doing all sorts of figuring and checking.. and comparing.. HOURS. My mom keeps changing her mind. Are you F-ING kidding me?? Seriously?? Im DONE. She has all the info out of me she is going to get!! NO. MORE. Yeah right. Oh well. Im annoyed. What can you do?

 

[sameyeyam]

Ready for this.....I just took a pregnancy test!
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and I'm not pregnant!

I have spent the last few days freaking out because I thought I might be pregnant. I haven't had a period for several months. I was in that have a period for 2 months, skip 2 months, well it's now been about 5 months.

Remember when I was sick the other day, well I had about a week that I didn't feel really well and I was mainly nauseated in the morning hours.

After my surgery my stomach was really flat and stretched tight like a drum. The last month or so it seems to be relaxing some and now getting a very slight bulge.

I've been very testy & hormonal lately. Crying one minute and yelling at everybody the next. (I'm just going to chalk that up to it being my cancerversary, brings back lots of funky thoughts).

Then a few days ago I start feeling something like movement in my abdominal area. You know that feeling around the 2nd or 3rd month when the baby starts feeling like a butterfly flitting around.

Now I know my DH had a vasectomy, but given my luck the thing would probably reverse itself. So given all of the above you can see why I was in a bit of a panic. I'm guessing the stomach thing is probably the muscles finally starting to relax in my abdominal area and healing is taking place. After I had my mastectomy, about a year later it would sometimes feel like a bug was running across my chest. But it was supposedly nerves regenerating. So this is probably just the same.

Phew, I can't tell you how freaked out I was. I even went online and did research to see if a woman could carry a baby after a tram flap (yes there have been a few cases and some had to deliver a month or so early). All of the sudden I was imagining that the year my child graduated from high school I would start collecting social security!

[Insert DEEP sigh of relief here].

 

[sameyeyam]

WAVES of irritation are pouring out of me. WAVES. I have spent HOURS on the computer doing all sorts of figuring and checking.. and comparing.. HOURS. My mom keeps changing her mind. Are you F-ING kidding me?? Seriously?? Im DONE. She has all the info out of me she is going to get!! NO. MORE. Yeah right. Oh well. Im annoyed. What can you do?

It appears that you are suffering from WDWschedulingosis. I've experienced it several times myself. My family drives me nuts and just wants to do the fly by the seat of your pants kind of trip. I want to stay one place, get it all figured out, then they say no lets go here. Arrgghh! I plan lots of fun dining experiences and they decide they are too tired and want to just grab a burger from the food court (over my dead body! I paid $50 each and you are going to sit there, holler Hoop De Doo at this revue and have fun I tell you!!). What do you mean you want to just spend the day at the pool???? I have Epcot scheduled for today and I really don't care that your feet are killing you...what do you think this is all about you???!!

Oh, I'm sorry, what were we talking about? Oh yes, right, Megan is getting the typical family reaction to all of her hours and hours and hours of planning.