Routine

This week we’re writing about the whole PD routine. I’ll explain a bit about my routine today, then try and post pictures on Thursday or Friday to tie it all together.

A long time ago I searched YouTube to see if anyone had posted a video of their routine and I remember there being only one video. I think that’s what got me thinking that there needed to be more information available to PD users that WASN’T provided by the renal team that really had no personal understanding of what dialysis was. Sure, they know from a nursing standpoint, but not from personal experience.

One of my nurses, for example, didn’t listen to me when I told her I wasn’t interested in hearing about the different therapies available when I first started on dialysis. But she bull horned her way into my little room and proceeded to go through EVERYTHING. Even after I told her I wasn’t interested. At that point, I was not emotionally prepared to think, talk, or learn about anything other than what I was doing. She only stopped when I started sobbing and freaking out.

When I first started on dialysis, hemodialysis was my only option because it was a bit of an emergency.  I went into ICU with a blood pressure of 220/160 and creatine of 942. Hello End Stage Renal Failure. Hello, Dr. Wong. And hello dialysis.

My routine is fairly basic. I try to get my machine set up early in the day so I don’t have to think about doing it later on when I’m tired at the end of the day. If I’m tired, then I’m tempted to skip the therapy session. J
I don’t turn the machine on until an hour or so before I go to bed, but it’s all set up and ready to go. I can definitely see that a picture post is necessary. I know most of you are here because you understand what I’m talking about, but for those of you who have no idea what all this is about, it probably sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo! A picture post will help a lot!

The supplies I use nightly: 1 5000L bag of 1.5% Dianeal solution, 1 bag of 3000L 1.5% Dianeal, 1 bag of 7.5% Extraneal. 1 drain bag, 1 cassette, 1 opticap, and 1 minicap. All my supplies come from Baxter and I have a very nice delivery driver named Dave. He’s been my delivery guy for 4-5 years and I get a little upset when he goes on holidays and I have to deal with a local driver.  He sometimes talks too much, but he doesn’t make my house dirty, use my bathroom, or ask for drinks of water, snacks, etc. J

My therapy runs for 8 hours (I adjust it based on timing (for example, I was out late or have to get up really early – most time I leave it for 8 hours, of course, but sometimes I do 6 hours, other times 7). I generally have a morning UF of 200 or less and I only have 200cc’s in during the day. I could go dry, but it feels a little more comfortable if I have a little something left over. In the morning I unhook everything and throw everything in the garbage. I have A LOT of garbage!

After that I carry on with my day.

OK, this has gotten a little long. Next time I post, I will write about drain pain, sleeping, etc. along with the pictures.
RT