What the F is all about.....

Suffering with kidney complications can lead to a decrease in the quality of life, even resulting in a reduced life expectancy. For individuals who suffer from kidney disease, often, the need for dialysis becomes a crucial part of the healthcare process.
With over two million individuals in the United States suffering from kidney complications, the risk and complications associated with kidney disease, in the United States, is astounding. As the baby boomers begin to enter into the aging process, the number of individuals requiring dialysis is only expected to rise over the next decade.
If you are a patient who requires extensive kidney treatment, it is important to understand what treatment should be expected as your condition progresses. Often, with the need for dialysis, it will be necessary to undergo a surgical procedure known as arteriovenous fistula, or AV fistula. Directly related to the successful application of dialysis, AV fistula surgery is a procedure in which an artery and a vein are connected, usually in the forearm, to allow for efficient application of dialysis treatment.
When your physician, usually a nephrologist, believes your kidney complications will require dialysis in the future, the recommendation to proceed with AV fistula surgery is usually made several months in advance. Because the fistula is required for efficient dialysis treatment, and because it takes several months to develop post-surgically, the arteriovenous fistula surgery may be recommended well before you even realize your kidneys are failing that extensively.
What can you expect following AV fistula surgery? In many cases, the complications associated with the surgical site are a direct result of the initiation of dialysis, itself. Infection at the site where needle insertion is made is quite uncommon, although a possibility. Occasionally, blood clots may develop in the fistula as well and, while not life threatening will require additional surgery to remove and free the space needed for successful dialysis.
While kidney disease is a leading healthcare crisis in the United States, many patients who are experiencing kidney complications are preparing for the need for dialysis early by electively proceeding with AV fistula surgery. Knowing that proper diet, coupled with AV fistula surgery and subsequent dialysis can provide for a relatively normal and productive life, leading to an improvement in overall health.
As with any complication involving your kidneys, the key to your optimal health and recovery lies in the early detection and treatment of the health complication. When suffering from potential kidney failure, it is important to openly discuss the matters involving dialysis and proceed with AV fistula surgery early in your kidney treatment so as to be adequately prepared for the dialysis treatment to come.
Christine Cadena, Yahoo! Contributor Network

Merry Christmas All!

Thank you for continually checking here.

For your thoughts...

and

your prayers.

May the best blessings of the season be yours.

This much madness is too much sorrow...

With everything that has happened today I don't have ANYTHING to gripe about.
All prayers for the kids of Newtown, CT.

The F word.....

Another week gone by....and no calls from Pinnacle but two more doctor appointments in.
My nephrologist tells me that things are still sliding and so this is what led me to seeing the second doctor - the fistula surgeon. Although he started out with a bit of flattery telling me that I have phenomenal veins, he was pretty quick and to the point in telling me I needed to get this done and the sooner the better.
Again, once you get the fistula, you have to wait for it to "mature" (2-3months) before you can use it for any dialysis.

Argh.

I'm kinda bummin' here.

Tentative surgery date is January 24.

52 days left to get a call.

Coming Attractions -

• Next appointment with the nephrologist - 12/12

• Follow-up at the fistula factory - 12/14

• Meeting with the Mayans - 12/21

Is out of sight truly out of mind?

Once again, it's been way too long since I've updated here but there has been a lot going on in BobWorld. I have been teaching my five classes and the last of those is tonight.
In early October, I changed jobs and took a position as chief photographer with a design firm in Lancaster. It has been a bit challenging to say the least. I've completely revamped their photo department and implemented a new photo workflow and so I've been putting in some long days.
Due to this hectic schedule, I was able to get the vein mapping done but I have not been able to schedule the follow-up appointment and subsequent........ahem......fistula surgery.
I know it's not the ideal situation, but keeping this busy has allowed me to put certain "unpleasantries" out of mind for a bit.

Yes. Yes. I know. All in good time.

There are a lot of good friends that I haven't gotten to see lately either so I'm hoping that once things settle down a bit, I'll get to catch up on all of the above.

Thanks to everyone who have been persistently reminding me to get this appt. scheduled.
As much as I gripe and complain, I do appreciate your thoughts.

I'll let you all know as soon as something is scheduled.

Up in Arms...

 

Arm Ultra Sound and Vein Mapping Scheduled for October 18.       Joy.