First scheduled Apheresis treatment and everything is a go;
schedule has been arranged, weather is clear and I feel ready. Ready as any person facing a new medical
treatment. To begin with I had
over scheduled myself in the morning, so I re-thought and prioritized to best
prepare my mind and body. I think this
is a good thing to remember on treatment day so I re-focused by cooking a
breakfast and lunch of calcium rich foods and a special care package for the
afternoon. I made the electrolyte potion
with fresh oranges, orange rinds, honey, salt and water. A supply of calcium
snacks-almonds and edamame then packed my briefcase with computer and
periodicals. I was ready to go.
After walking what feels like an eternity to the dark lit
hallway on the 4th floor of the hospital I opened the door to the
room only to find another technician and patient by the plasma machine about
six feet from the Aheresis machine and the recliner style chair. She explained that my RN would be just a
minute and made all the polite introductions etc. that is common during a
ladies social. I really wasn't feeling
like exchanging lives and when faced in a nervous situation I have a tendency
to over chatter….I did apologize and settled into my chair.
My RN explained a few procedural points while I read and
signed hospital agreement forms and what knots.
She then began to insert the catheters into my virgin fistula-one in one
to go! Ouch…the next catheter didn't go
so well and both RN’s pushed and turned trying to get the darn needle into the
fistula…ouch, no go out that came pressure applied and another site was
discussed and re-discussed and both RN’s determined it was the exact spot-same
gig…nothing…Ouch now a clamp on the artery and a great deal of adjectives that
describe a disappointing situation. The
only situation remotely compared to this treatment, might be an oil driller,
tapping into the earth for the good stuff to bring wealth, although I am
reaching for a different kind of wealth, the wealth of life…
Hubby applied Ice packs every fifteen minutes for seven
hours which the RN had prescribed (as the treatment room only had ice chips placed inside a latex glove) since I didn't have enough energy to get up and down, feeling like an emotional, exhausted wet noodle. Later that evening a dear friend from a club I belong to sent a card, a lovely card, filled with
spring flowers and a note “just letting me know that she was thinking of me
today” and went on to express how
difficult a year I have had…I cried for the first time in a very long time.
