7th Catheter?
Yes, 7th catheter is being used now. Catheters wear out eventually and a couple of them have had short lives for some reason unknown forces occurred. I am using a catheter because my veins are now too small to be used for a fistula and graft. We have had two grafts put in—one in each arm, but my left one quit working 9 months after it was placed due to clotting issues and the right one never used because it clotted within five days of placement. My blood clots easily. Blood clotting for good reason is fine, but for grafts and fistula purposes is not good. That is why I am using a catheter instead of using a graft or fistula.
As far as a fistula goes, one was made in my left arm, but it never matured. It lasted only a couple of months and never was used. It was a weak fistula and it clotted fast leaving me to take warfarin to fix the clot for 6 months. I hated taken that warfarin. It helps in areas, but it can be a problem in other area. When it comes to chemicals in the body, my body, I am kind of hesitant and wary of taking prescribed medications to help me. I was on Seroquel for a month, and I gained 20 pounds in and a one month that took a year to lose. Now, off Seroquel and on a low dose of Prozac, I am now 180-187 pounds and stable again. Gaining my 20 pounds back was a downer and disappointing aspect of my life. It was not water weight I gained back and for a while, dialysis techs and I did not know if I gained weight due to water or medication. It was very frustrating for a month. Anyway, that is why I use a catheter and have for the past 6 years on hemodialysis.
I saw Dr. Anjum today as I do every Monday unless it is the 5th Monday of the month or he’s on vacation with family or visiting India. My blood is getting cleaned well doing hemodialysis even though I don’t have a fistula or graft like most people. A lot of patients use catheters as well due to age and other health issues. It’s amazing what dialysis can do for people with kidney disease and kidney health. Although I have had my kidney transplant for 31 years before being attacked by kidney disease, my kidney can still produce a little urine, but when your kidney’s function goes past 4 in GFR (Glomerular Function Rate). This part of the kidney’s function tells nephrology doctors how well or not well the kidney is functioning in a patient. My transplanted kidney got attacked by a disease called glomerulonephritis. This kidney disease is a chronic disease and it can be treated with medication for a while and I did take special medication for 3 years before my kidney said it had enough. By then my kidney was 72 years old and the kidney was beginning to have problems in 2016 to 2019. My donor was my mom!
Don’t worry, my mom is still alive. She will be 80 years old this year. Yes, my mom was 44 going on 45 when she became my first donor. First donor? Yes, I am looking for a second donor. I prefer a living donor over a cadaver kidney.