Twice a week this is how my set-up is, laying down for four hours hoping as always not to crash my blood pressure otherwise it will affect the quality of my dialysis. This set of nurses are just relaxing now after we are all connected to the machine, one or a few of them will get up to attend a machine that would blare an alarm to mitigate and adjust things.
There are so many causes for a dialysis machine to make an alarm like a thin or a strong dialysate solution, those are the ones that the blood would soak into so that it can be cleaned. Then there is the needle factor, if the one that sucks the blood gets deeper and behind the AV fistula as we call it then it would not be able to suck blood. Sometimes you can see it as the blood makes bubbles and it does make the machine to sound an alarm.
Then if the needle that returns the blood also went too deep it would bulge the cannulated site but before it happens the nurses would see it and make an adjustment accordingly. Sometimes they would only pull the needle a bit to let the needle detach in the bottom side of the AV fistula (The venous part). The bulging thing is what I am always afraid of because it would cause blood to pump outside the vein and into surrounding tissues. It may very well be a reason to block the venous part of the Arterio-venous fistula but fortunately it rarely happens because the machine would alarm and the nurses are attentive and swift enough to stop it.
Right now I am not eating anymore during dialysis because the relatives or the guardians of the patients are not allowed anymore inside even before the pandemic so that the treatment area would continue to be clean. At first the hospital is allowing the relatives or guardians to feed the patients and then after that they have to go out again. But now they are not anymore allowed. In a way it is a good thing for the safety of the whole but I would miss my mother going by my side during my session.
I have to do this twice a week and had been in that way for twenty years now even though in my first years I am only going every five days and there was also a time that I have to go once every week, those years are the most difficult time of my life and now at the current moment I just have to deal with complications in my bones.
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What is your position on using medical cannabis to treat patients on dialysis?
My personal view of this is that it has helped a great deal. Apparently one of the best natural ways to deal with all the symptoms from being on dialysis.
I think it will help, persons under dialysis is under constant 24/7 discomfort because they are always suffering from nausea and appetiteloss due to anemia and nitrogen compound and elevation of creatine toxins.
I myself might be used to discomfort but it is s til a hell on earth experience. I cannot just take my own life because I am a religious person, it is not an option on the table to pick easily so I have to go and sweat it out and continue to strive in acquiring a better well-being.
Marijuana is highly taboo in my country much less the medical marijuana which doesn't exist here. Maybe med marijuana can exist here if they would bribe the senators and congressman to make a law in legalizing the use of it for medical purposes but it is not that easy as it can get vetoed by the president himself if he doesn't like it.
It is a complicated matter even at the states where it is still regarded as illegal in the federal level which is why they can't do banking in selling it and at the same time limiting the amount that has to be sold and things like that.
The factor of abuse also makes it hard to legalize it and that makes it hard for it to be used as a part of medical treatment. Although I want to have some just to alleviate some of my health issues regarding my management of being a dialysis patient for 20 years now.
As the world around us catches up, there is still options. buy some sirectly from the blackmarket.
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Go somewhere were you can grow your own and still recieve your treatment.
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A different country entirely.
This world is a huge place and many things are permitted in one where it is forbidden in another.
it is constructed this way purposely for crapitilist means in my opinion. and for control.
You may even get off dialysis entirely with just the aid of cannabis. It has been lroven to cure many ailments including cancer.
So then the question is...
What is keeping you under treatment?
20 years! You are a superman!
Thanks Melinda I do not know I lasted this long but it is a feat indeed as most patients just let's go after a few years. I just thank God for all what had happened to my life. :)
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