Another Upside-Down Day

Tonight's photo was taken at the end of the exit we take in Murfreesboro. It always intrigues me that the barn/farm is still there in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Murfreesboro, one of the fastest growing cities in Tennessee. We didn't have to get going too fast this morning since we weren't going to do Woody's dialysis till this evening. we were hoping that the box that connects the iPad to the machine would get here in time. It finally got here, but not till nurse had gone home and we were getting set up. So hopefully we will have it back up with technology all connected tomorrow. Last night's dialysis went well. The new machine kept very quiet and behaved...no alarms. And lab draws went well as far as I know. The labs got picked up by FedEx Express this afternoon. Late morning I went to choose new glasses frames. I did pick a pair out. I don't have all the choices that lots have as my frames have to be titanium. Something in my system messes with whatever other types are coated with and they start peeling not long after I get them...so I stick with titanium and they seem to hold up. Now to wait for them to come in! Woody's appointment went well...very quick...in and out. The surgeon...listened with a little ultra sound type machine. I guess he liked what he heard. he pronounced that we can start using the graft for dialysis. Not exactly what I was hoping to hear...not looking forward to changing over to this method of access. But our nurse said that it will be a month or more till she can train us how to do it. That is not a problem for me! I'm glad that the doctor was pleased with Woody's healing. Our nurse had asked us to have the surgeon map the direction of the blood flow in his access. So now Woody has red arrows that shows the way the blood flows through his graft. According to the nurse we have to know this to know which way to put the needles in. You should see the size of the needles that I will be poking through Woody's skin and into the graft...2 plkes each treatment. When we get the needles, I will try to remember to take a pucture of them. I will have a numbing cream to put on Woody's arm so hopefully it won't hurt! We're about halfway through tonight's treatment. And, so far so good. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Upside-Down Day—Quick Check-in

I'm not even going to look for a photo tonight...hopefully routine will be back tomorrow night! Woody's new dialysis machine came this afternoon and our nurse got it set up and left around 5:30. I got Woody's supper and then got underway with setting up. I pushed the kidney button (starts the dialysis) at 7:15pm. In that set-up time I managed to draw 4 of the test tubes fo his pre-dialysis labs. That went fairly smoothly. The one tube is spinning in the centrifuge as I type. The one glitch with the new machine is that we went the part that connects the iPad with the machine...oops! Remember...our nurse is new at this too. She felt really badly about letting that part get away. we just have to keep up with everything without the ipad beeping at us. I have a lot of little tiny writing to do to fill in a chart! And, lots of clock watching! I got my eyes checked today...eventually I will find the time to pick out frames! And, now...it's about time for the next blood pressure check and other statistics to record. Tomorrow Woody goes to see his surgeon in Murfreesboro. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Unexpected Day Off

This day didn't pan out the way we expected. When I was setting up Woody's dialysis this morning, I stated getting red 10 alarms...some were quick and reset by themselves and others had to be dealt with...but they kept coming back. In a half hour I got more than 10 of the same alarm. This is an alarm that our cycler machine has given us since the start...even when we were at the center. Our nurse said more than once that she wondered if we shouldn't get a new machine. Well, when I called the tech number, I think they saw how many times I have reported these before and had me do several things, but, when the alarm kept coming back, she said that she thought it would be best to abort today's treatment, which hadn't even begun, and order us a new one to be overnighted. It is to be here tomorrow between 2 and 6pm. Of course, nothing can be easy. I have an eye appointment that has been on the calendar for months at 2:15pm tomorrow. I think we have it set up so it can be delivered even if I'm not here. And, hopefully it will come before our nurse goes home from work! It isn't an easy set up...nor was it an easy take off. We had to take off all the accessories...like the IV poles, heater for manual bags, etc. I was able to get it all knocked down except for the piece that you have to turn the 75 pound machine over to detach something from the bottom. Our nurse came by and did that part and we had Woody's nurse visit here at the house rather than having to come into the center this month. I have said that I don't dare make an appointment for me as inevitably an appointment will pop up for Woody on the same day...and...proved true this time! The courier will call and Woody can direct him/her back to the family room. They pick up the old and leave the new all in one trip for the hemodialysis cycler machines. With the PD, a new one was delivered. We got it set up and put the old one into the box new one came in and they set it up to pick it up another day. Same company is doing this dialysis, but a different branch of it and they do things totally different. I don't know if we will have things situated to do a treatment late afternoon/early evening tomorrow or not. If we don't, we will only be doing 4 treatments this week. The nurse may have to talk me through settings if she is off work...the settings that are specific for Woody...then the tech folk can talk me through the rest of the set up. If the machine gets delivered before I get home from my eye appointment, Woody is supposed to call our nurse to let her know that we have it so she can see if she can fit us into what is left of her work day. Obviously today's labs were put off. We can still do them tomorrow even if it is too late for a Fed Ex pickup. They can be refrigerated till the pick up can be arranged for Thursday. Of course, we were planning on our other day off this week to be Thursday as Woody has an appointment with his surgeon who put in the graft. We will have to be up and going early that day in order to be at the doctor in Murfreesboro by 2:15...but we should be able to do that as long as "things" run smoothly with the new machine! Lots of "ifs!"I made banana nut bread today and a washed a load of towels...still drying part of that load. Even though I had a day off, I still didn't accomplish much. I told myself that I needed to make hay while the sun shines...but...well, the sun really never shone...maybe that is why I didn't get much more than usual done! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Labor Day 2022

Not a lot of laboring has gone on here today...except for dialysis duties! Woody sat through dialysis patirntly and I did the set up, connecting and taking off. I also attempted to get "things" ready for tomorrow for Woody's lab draws...something that I am still not all that confident about doing...especially the one lab draw that I have to do at the end of his treatment. There is an order to the drawing of which test tubes...so I decided to get the test tubes out and get them lined up correctly. They are all color coded and the 2nd one is supposed to be royal blue...well, I don't have any royal blue test tube tops. I texted our nurse and she told me that another one that we have is a substitute for the royal blue one. the substitute is supposed to have a clear or white top. The one that I have doesn't look clear or white to me. But I took a picture and sent it to the nurse and she said it was the one I am to use. Glad I got through that confusion before in the morning! I have the new dialysate batch making. So I guess we will be ready to get underway in the morning. I have read the post treatment lab draw instructions several times...haven't done the post lab draw as many times as I have thr pre...pre makes more sense and the treatment hasn't gotten underway when I do those. The post draw is done at the end of treatment, but before the final rinse back so I have to insert a different step in prior to doing the final steps so it is a little confusing. We'll see if it gets done properly. Once the labs are drawn...then one tube needs to sit for 30 minutes to an hour before it is spun in the centrifuge and three need to go in the refrigerator soon after being drawn and not spun and the last one needs to be spun but doesn't have to wait the 30 minutes! Insert eyeroll here! The tubes have to be labeled with the proper labels and put in a special plastic holder to be sent off. I have to pack them with an ice pack...get them packaged in a box and box taped...apply label...and, at that point call FedEx to arrange for an express pickup! Tomorrow is going to be such a fun day...not! Woody has done his puzzles, looked at a few things on his computer, rested, and watched TV. These days he isn't doing much reading. I have managed to do some reading in some of my down time today. I'm about to finish another book. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Busy Saturday

We had a morning of dialysis...everything went smoothly. Always happy to be able to report that good news! Tomorrow is a day off from dialysis. We both look forward to a day off! This afternoon, I got a text from Kathy asking if Abigail could come over to bake a cake in our oven...one of the elements in their oven had gone out. So we had a nice visit with Abigail while her cake baked. She shared her adventures as a preschool teacher at a local church's preschool/day care. Sounds like she is being kept busy! Abigail has such a love for little children! This evening I made another cranapple crisp for Woody...one of the things that tastes realy good to Woody these days. And, that's about all either of us accomplished today. Well, Woody did work four crossword puzzles. I have added to his two puzzles that he has done for years...he needed more to occupy him during the three hours he is hooked up to his dialysis machine! I started looking for new ones when it looked like I wasn't going to be able to print out one of the ones because they were going to require subscribing to their online paper. But so far I am still able to print it so I am for as long as I can. But found two more so have added them in, too. Well, time to check on the apple crisp and to clean up the kitchen...again! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! We hope you are enjoying your long Labor Day weekend!

Friday…We Think!

We'll call this photo "September Rose." When I watered, I noticed that the little rose bush that Nathan, Kathy and family gave me earlier this year had one bloom on it. This is its first bloom. We have had a very uneventful day...a very good thing! We made it through Woody's dialysis treatment with no alarms and I managed to get the dialysate batch going with no glitches. It is still being made...it won't be finished making till 10pm. During dialysis today, I managed to make our lunch...Sweet 'n Sour Pork. Woody must have liked it as he had two helpings...something that rarely happens these days. We will get up in the morning and do it all over again...but I won't have to make a dialysate batch. Since we have Sunday off, I won't have to make another batch till Monday. It lasts for two treatments. During a break this afternoon, I read a couple of chapters in my latest book. When I head upstairs in a little while, I hope to either read or stitch. The kitchen is cleaned up and the dishwasher is going. I'm heading to put a load of clothes into the drier. Woody has settled on his couch/bed. So I guess our day is winding down. The reason for tonight's title is that just a few minutes ago, Woody wanted to know what day it is...these days it is really hard to keep track! I'm sure his days and nights tend to run together. I am able to keep a little better track since I have to fill out daily records on the dialysis iPad daily. And, I am the one who has to keep up with dialysis days, days off, appointments, etc. So I have to keep tabs on what is happening via my iPad calendar...check it often! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

It's September! Time to Play Fall Ball!

We're just home from the ball field. Isaac and Joseph are both playing on the Bama team. Isaac hasn't shown an interest in playing after he played one time...so he is a bit hesitant when it comes to batting/swinging the bat. But he came away realizing that he is hitting against the older players on the team...10-12 year olds pitch to 10-12 year old batters and the younger players bat against younger pitchers. I was wondering why pitchers were changing a lot. Isaac is a bit gun aka ball shy as he was hit one time when Joy was pitching to him. Since Joseph played in the Spring league he is more ready to swing the bat. Plus he is batting against less seasoned pitchers since he is in the younger bracket. This is the first year that they have played on a team where the players pitch. Before they had played on coach-pitch teams. Oh, I forgot to tell why Isaac decided to play this year. He usually goes with his mom or dad to the practices and he decided he'd rather play than watch practice! There is no score board for Fall Ball...or at least the score board wasn't run tonight...so I came away not sure what the final score was and the boys didn't know either. But I thought that their team had crossed the plate more than the other team and I was right. Nathan and Woody had kept track...Bama won 5-4 over Vandy. The boys were surprised when they heard...but happy. Today dialysis went well except for one little problem before we got the treatment started. I spotted a small blood clot (piece of clotted blood like a scab) poking out of the plastic end of the access going into the tubing. I took a picture of it and sent it to our nurse and then called to ask her what we should do. That access end had an empty syringe on it and she had me open the clamp and pull back and pull blood into the syringe and hopefully pull the clot into the syringe...hard to tell since you really can't see through blood! But she was pretty sure that would solve the problem and then had me attach a saline syringe and flush that into the line...no clot could be seen at that point so she said we were good to go. And, as I say most days...things must have gone at least ok as Woody is still alive! The rest of the treatment went as it should. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Happy September!