On Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, the first day of the rest of my life arrived. As you may remember, a week ago, on Nov. 24, I underwent outpatient surgery at Carle Hospital in Urbana, IL, to have a catheter tube permanently implanted in my midsection in preparation for peritoneal kidney dialysis treatments to come. Yesterday, at the DaVita dialysis center in my new home of Decatur, IL, the surgical dressings were removed for the first time since the operation, the incision site was inspected, cleaned and sterilized, and a practice dialysis session was held to show me how it's done and to make sure the catheter is working properly.
Notice the look of uncontrolled terror in my eyes.
Right off the top, we (that is, my wife Karen, my mother-in-law Linda and I) received some discouraging news. Diane King, the delightful and extremely knowledgeable DaVita dialysis nurse who conducted our initial two-hour training, relayed the information that my kidney specialist, Dr. Attia, had decided to move up the start of my dialysis from sometime in January, after the holidays, to as soon as my incision completely heals in around two weeks. My latest lab results, from blood drawn on Monday, were not encouraging. My potassium levels were up, and my creatinine markers (the waste molecule generated by muscle metabolism that's an indicator of kidney function) were elevated.
Reality hit us all between the eyes. After talking about the possibility for many months, it was time to get started on daily dialysis treatments. Karen's eyes briefly filled with tears.
This is me with Diane King, the DaVita dialysis nurse. She has a voice like Pollyanna's, which somehow makes disheartening news easier to accept.
But then, before the training process begins in earnest, the first document among the mountain of paperwork I am required to sign is the "Authorization for Consent to Peritoneal Dialysis Procedure." And on the first page, the "significant risks associated with the procedure" are outlined. They include the possibility of:
• Contracting an infection in the peritoneal cavity (called peritonitis), the catheter tunnel or the exit site;
• Developing hernias in the groin from the pressure of the dialysis fluid;
• Erosion or perforation of the bowel walls by the catheter;
• Being stricken with hydrothorax, the leaking of dialysis fluid into the chest cavity;
• Sclerosis or scarring of the peritoneum, which can result in obstruction of the bowel, and, of course,
• Death.
Whoa! Hold on! Back the truck up! I don't recall anyone ever mentioning any of this before the catheter was stuck inside my belly, when peritoneal dialysis (PD) was being praised as the more convenient and advantageous form of kidney assistance. I tend to be the kind of person who looks at the glass as half full, but come on!
Well, we're in this all the way now, come what may. More on the first dialysis run-through treatment tomorrow.
3 comments:
Jim, you're such a brave soul with an incredibly positive outlook. If the world had more people like you, it would be a better place to live. Period. My thoughts and prayers are with you (and Karen) as you begin this new journey. And for what it's worth, I think about you pretty much every day, because there's now a DaVita dialysis place right up the block from me on the corner of Radnor (aka Lincoln) and East Warren. Every time I drive by the place, I think of you. God will watch over you, my friend. I know he will.
Thanks for the kind thoughts, Dean. I honestly don't think of us as brave. We're just doing what we have to do. There is a strange sense of peace that this is in God's hands (and His timing). The more we know, the better we're able to deal with what's happening. Education is key; faith is vital. We appreciate our family & friends so much. Your support keeps us upbeat. There's much humor - even in this! Thanks for sharing our journey.
This is big shit, Jim. And your writing in the midst of all it is some of your best. What a powerful unit - you and Karen!
This writer cannot locate words, and there you are immersed and writing wonders!
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