Betty is failing. I know that. I’ve known that for quite a while. The last iron infusion has perked her up a little however and she dragged herself kicking and screaming back to 18% function about a month ago.
But by then I’d already been flagged up by Arrowe Park as needing my dialysis access checked, so off I go for a scan on my ten year old graft. I was grumpy enough about being made to enter an actual hospital but then the vascular team who scanned me reckoned that ‘they’ would probably want to operate on it. Cue eyerolls that could flip the universe and tantrums that make toddlers look tame.
So two weeks later my very unhappy self is sitting in the ladies waiting room in the SEAL unit at Arrowe. Obviously as it’s me, I’m left sitting nil by mouth for hour after hour which is no good for a failing kidney. The afternoon patients were coming in and I was still sat there. Eventually I had a polite moan at the lady looking after us and weirdly enough, or not, they were suddenly ready for me.
Now I’d warned them in advance that my access for cannulas and such is awful. It took two lovely anaesthetists and a nurse six attempts to get a cannula in. I’m amazed I stayed calm enough to let them to be honest but they were very good. I think it was the threat of me getting a foot out so they could try a vein in there that got the needle in in the end 🤣
So now I’m on the table talking to a radiographer that knew my mum when she worked there. Again, all very pleasant and friendly. Theatres aren’t nice but at least I had my own underwear on for this one haha.
The op itself was on my right arm so imagine my arms splayed like I’m doing the YMCA. I’m all ready to go and then they realised I hadn’t signed the consent form. Ah well. Anyway, the nurse popped a syringe full of contrast dye and then one of what she hilariously called ‘wine’ into my cannula and we were off. Now I’m normally one of those patients who wants to be knocked out for everything, it’s just easier, so this was a little weird. I vaguely remember chatting loads of rubbish to this poor woman and I swear I dozed off at one point. Anywho, it took about an hour. As I understand it small balloons are fed into the graft and expanded to widen any stenosis. Yeah it hurts but the anaesthesia helps a lot.
Afterwards, I was taken to the recovery room and fed hospital toast. I don’t know whether it’s because you’ve not eaten in hours or what, but there’s something glorious about hospital toast.
Home the same day. Perfect. Graft is buzzing better than ever. Stenosis all sorted. Then two days later I’m covered boobs to groin in a huge rash. First check,is it meningitis? Course it isn’t. Chat to mum, Google, seems I’ve reacted to the contrast dye. Happens when you’ve got rubbish creatinine levels. I popped a few Piriton to no effect. I left various messages with my renal specialist nurses, mainly so it’d be noted on my file that I’m allergic but when one finally rang me back they seemed dubious. There is literally nothing else that could have caused it. I even read papers about delayed reactions online. It would appear most reactions are ignored or put down to something else, so it happens again when they dye is used. I’m waaaaay too stubborn to let that happen to me. I’ll be kicking up a fuss next time they want to use contrast on me.
Anyway, about five days later, stitches are taken out and rash is slowly dissipating. Bruises are still huge, but that’s anaemia and aspirin for you.
It’s now been a few weeks and I’m rash free but still black and blue. More blood tests and scans booked. The life of a CKD patient hey. All fun and games til the Iodine makes you look like Spotty from Superted 🤣
The Adventures of Betty the Kidney 