With two emergency room visits, and perpetually big feet, I'm well aware that it's time for dialysis. When I went to see my Nephro last week, I found out my creatinine was 9.8, basically at the 10 threshold for dialysis we set last year. I told him it was time. The first time around when my kidneys failed, I resisted, but this time, the writing has been on the wall. So, I'll be going in to Inova Fairfax Hospital for three days to start treatment. From what I understand the treatments will be very mild, they don't want to give me a full dose of dialysis right off the bat. I'm guessing that they want to keep me in the hospital so they can monitor my intake and output more closely. My blood is getting pretty toxic right now, (just a little bit dangerous), so maybe they want me at the hospital to monitor my other organs. There's also some question as to whether my AV Fistula is ready, so they may need to surgically place a catheter to start. I'm still not sure what this means for my everyday life. I know I'll be going to a clinic three days a week (every other day). I know I'll need to follow a stricter diet. I don't know how much exercise I'll be able to do. I don't know what my energy level will be like. The list of side effects and possible side effects of dialysis is too long to list here. I was just as scared and just as clueless when it came time for my transplant, and I was pleasantly surprised by the results, so maybe dialysis will also surprise me. Either way, I'll adapt.
"Dialysis Tomorrow"
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