by Yizuman 145 Replies latest jw friends
What a terrible ordeal for both of you! Two years ago I had a thyroid operation go wrong and I ended up on a ventilator for nearly two weeks along with some other complications similar to hers. It was a nightmare to say the least. I cannot imagine the extent of what she is going through, that poor little thing. I do hope they can find SOMETHING to relieve her discomfort very SOON!
My prayers and my warmest wishes for a very speedy recovery are hers.
hugs,
Annie
Thinking of you and your wife at this time. I hope all goes well. I use to be a RN on a renal, cardiac, and diabetes floor; but it's been awhile.
Ah, how long ago was that? Thanks for thinkin' of her.
The terms you mentioned:
Atrial Flutter
Sounds about right.
Having a fistula made for dialysis
Not sure what fistula is, looked it up, but not sure if this applies to her. Give me a good example?
Tracheostomy with trach placement (I've been on a vent and I had a trach for about 5 months.)
I have to go back and read more. I think that you said that they were having trouble weaning her off the vent?
Not exactly, she's been pretty good with the therapy. Last she was off the vent, she lasted 4 1/2 hrs. So she's developing tolerance as it goes.
Is your wife still able to void (pee)?
That's something I'm still trying to figure out. I need to ask more about this. She used to have a pee container to drain her bladder. They're not doing that now at the current hospital.
They may use meds like dopamine and dobutamine for cardiac and renal function. I think they did used dopamine, but the spelling looks like it, can't be sure. Not sure about dobutamine, never seen it on any of her IVs spelled that way.
You are, definitely, going through a lot. Sometimes, the nurses like for the spouses to go home and get rest. You need your energy.
More like she needs alot of energy than me!
Thanks!
Yiz
Sunspot, thanks for sharing your experience and I am sorry you went through that.
Keep her in your thoughts and prayers, it means alot!
Yiz
My thoughts are with you.........I almost lost my wife 4 times last year. It was a terrible 6 months. Upper respiratory issues. Tubes, ventilator, heavy sedation, strapped to the bed, steroids, intibations, pneumonia, monitors, etc................I, too, shed many tears, so many in fact, well I don't need to tell you. Each time that I hear of a situation like yours and mine it breaks my heart all over again.You never get over the hopeless feelings that come from your enduring her condition. It isn't just the patient that suffers but WE all do as we go through the ordeal, over and over.
My thoughts and heart go out to you and yours.
NMG
Did they make a fistula by putting a vein and an artery together or did they put a Shiley or Groshong catheter (central line) in?
Here is how a fistula is made:
Creating the access portal is a minor surgical procedure. There are two types of portals placed completely under the skin:
efficiently.In the weeks after surgery, the fistula begins to mature. The vein increases in size and may look like a cord under your skin. The whole process of maturation, which is a beneficial feature that permits the blood flow to increase in the fistula, typically takes 3 to 6 months. Some fistulas may take as long as a year or more to develop fully, but this is unusual. Once matured, a fistula should be large and strong enough for dialysis technicians and nurses to insert the large dialysis needles easily. If it fails to mature in a reasonable period of time, however, you may need another fistula.
You can usually begin using your graft in 2 to 6 weeks, when it is healed sufficiently. Usually fistulas are preferred to grafts, however, because fistulas are constructed using your own tissue, which is more durable and resistant to infection than are grafts. However, if your vein is blocked or too small to use, the graft provides a good alternative.
http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/NorthPoint/Dialysis_Access.html
Yiz....I would feel my prayers are much more effective if I knew the name of the person I was praying FOR. If you are not comfortable with revealing your dear wife's name on an open board.....would you feel better about sending me a PM?
Is there an place where we can send emails to her in care of the hospital? Some hospitals have that option now. I would also send her a snail mail card if you wanted to provide me with an address in that PM.
I would like to do all that I can from here.....
hugs,
Annie
Wonderful! It was a long process of trials and tribulations for you, but maybe the worse is over and with proper meds you and she may continue to live a long happy life. It is good to hear good news.
You both are in my thoughts and prayers.
I just started another thread so that folks could offer their prayers and wishes for Yiz's wife so they could be sent up to her in the hospital.
hugs,
Annie
MsMcDucket,
They had started it, but got postponed due to the fact when it was discovered that her kidney efficiency had dropped from 12% to 9% in less than a week. When she got out of the hospital after 1 week and 6 days from being in the hospital after she was admitted on April 29th. She had a partial fistula done on her lower arm, but it never got done on the upper arm. The reason for that was because at the time when she was checked out of the hospital, it was discovered my wife was still continuing to take Avapro when she wasn't supposed to take it anymore. It damaged her kidneys, thus the dialysis schedule had to be bumped up early, way early. So she went back in the hospital after having been out in less than a week. Then the rest pretty much went south when she had her cauterization surgery.
Eventually one day, they'll finish it.
Yiz
