Another failed attempt today. The same tech that usually sticks me is out again so one of the tech with the most seniority tried today. He was sometimes successful when we first started using the fistula but has been in a different pod for the past 3 months. He tried the arterial needle twice, was able to get some blood, but no flow. He used a short 16-gauge needle each time, and it hurt pretty bad the second time. Anyway, he gave up after two tries and we went with the catheter again. I held the gauze for about 10 minutes, let go, then promptly bled all over the chair. He rushed back, put a new gauze on the opening, and I held it for 15 minutes which stopped the bleeding.
I’m barely tolerating the dialysis sessions. I’m at four hours on the machine at 350 mL/min flow rate. Now I have to deal with the erratic needle sticking each session as well. Sigh… and still now word from UCLA on accepting my sister as a kidney donor.
Life with chronic diseases 