There Have Been Better Days!

First thing that I discovered, when I went downstairs this morning, was that there was water all over the bathroom floor. The water has to stay on when the dialysate is being made...there is an attachment that stops the water from coming out the faucet and forces it through the tubing that goes from the faucet into the PureFlow machine that makes the dialysate. I have to turn on the cold water full force and I don't think that our fixture likes the pressure and has sprung a leak around the handle...making the water run to back of the fixture and onto the countertop. I had been putting towels there to absorb the water that leaked. When I was not making a batch, I had put just a small hand towel behind thenfaucet/sink...but forgot to change it for a larger one or two last night when I made the batch...and the towel I had there absorbed all it could and the rest ran out onto the countertop and then onto the floor. I'm so glad that our new LVP flooring is so waterproof...I just let towels absorb most of it and then mopped up the rest. Then it was time to make Woody's breakfast and then onto dialysis setup. Setup went well. I had everything ready when Davida got here. But once again, I had problems sticking...I did get the first one in myself with just a little struggle. But the second one took both of us! We think that the end of the needle was getting stuck in a bend in the graft. I thought that I had enough space before that bend, but guess now. Davida was able to get it placed despite the curve. His treatment went fairly smoothly...he moved his arm too much one time and changed the positioning of one of the needles thus messing with the pressure...but got that problem solved and the rest went well. I did give him another liter saline bolus. Just as the treatment was ending, the home health nurse arrived. It takes a while to get him off the machine and the needles out once the treatment has ended. Each of the places where the needles have been have to have gauze held with pressure for at least five minutes after the needle is removed...so that adds ten minutes on to end treatment. The nurse was here to do a telemed call with the wound care folk, but that call never materialized so she just changed the dressings and was on her way. Woody still doesn't feel well...he decided this evening that it is allergies...that he has a lot of drainage...so he has taken an antihistsmine and hopefully that will help him. Jo brought us some delicious homemade soup this evening...that should be good for whatever ails him...and, I'll enjoy it, too! Davida and I made the decision today that I won't take tomorrow off and do his treatments five days in a row this week so she can help "if" I have trouble sticking/cannulating. I'll happily have her in the background to to my rescue if needed. She has another patient in the same situation as me...he is learning to do his own sticks instead of his wife. So she is going either to his house first or to ours and helping us. Thank goodness she isn't training anyone at this time and can help us like this. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!