The New Routine

Since I started this blog fairly late in the story, I've had a lot of catching up to do on the events that have brought me to today. The three day a week dialysis routine is not too bad. Of course, it doesn't hurt that since starting dialysis back in September, I'm feeling better than I've felt in a couple of years.

Sure, the schedule is a hassle, and I've had some bad days during and following my sessions, but in general, I can't complain about the dialysis process.

The nurses and the techs are great. They remind me of the nurses at the cancer center in the way that they work hard to make a tough situation pleasant for those of us tied to the dialysis chair for 3-4 hours each day. Like any profession, there are good and bad nurses out there. And, like teachers, it's hard to imagine someone entering into a nursing career if they didn't want to help make the lives of the people in their care better. So far I've been blessed with great people who have looked out for me, made me feel at ease, and have done an outstanding job of giving care.

I've also been fortunate to have a job that I can continue on with despite the dialysis schedule. The President of our company, along with my co-workers, have been flexible and understanding. It doesn't hurt that I am willing to work for awhile during dialysis. Again, I'm fortunate that all I need is a laptop and an Internet connection to do my work while I'm in the chair.

Okay, I get that this sounds like a pretty rosy picture. Part of reason for that is that I choose to paint the picture that way. Anything that can make me feel this good is all right in my book. But, all this good does come with some negatives.

The constant focus on the foods I can eat, and the foods to avoid is a daily battle. I know what healthy eating looks like, but it doesn't quite look like the renal diet! But, it only took passing out twice during dialysis to know that the food focus is critical to making these sessions drama-free. Coming in with too much weight on makes for a tough session.

Leg cramps are another not-so-cool part of dialysis. This has always been a problem for me. One of the things I've learned in dialysis is that my kidneys had a lot to do with this. I used to get terrible leg cramps while I slept. Now the only times my legs cramp is here at dialysis. Sometimes that happens because I don't react soon enough to my legs tightening up. I can ask to have my machine shut off, which, when done soon enough, keeps the cramps at bay.

Mostly though, the leg cramps are a product of sitting in a recliner with my legs resting straight out. It's hard to keep them moving while I'm working, so I try to keep my feet moving as much as I can. Good tunes on the iPod makes that easier too!

Another little negative to this experience is that some days I just feel beat up after dialysis. Usually that's a Tuesday thing, following the weekend and an extra day away from dialysis. I heard a lot of people tell me they feel tired after dialysis. I get that sometimes, but most of the time I'll get a headache later in the day. I've been working around that by eating a little something later in the day. That has made a difference.

The biggest negative, however, is the way dialysis interferes with travel plans. I'm no jet-setter, but with a three times a week dialysis schedule, making travel arrangements is tricky.

Now, I have to say that some of this hassle is of my own making. I like the clinic I go to. Te nurses know me and after almost nine months of this, we do have a good routine established. I'm sure there are other fine dialysis clinics around the country, but trying another clinic is unsettling to me. Fortunately, this clinic works with me when I need to change a day from time to time. Being out of town for a week is going to be harder to work out.

So that's it. Four hassles that don't come anywhere near diminishing the benefits I receive from these sessions. For me, these things are a small price to pay for the improvement in the way I feel.