Dialysis Part I

I have a kidney disease and was on dialysis for 15 months until Sara, a kind stranger, offered to donate a kidney to me. Look for my future video "Kidney Transplant".

This was my last dialysis session. I recorded it for future patients who have to go on dialysis. Hopefully this will help you understand what you will be going through.

Q: Does it hurt?
A: Not after you develop a button hole (where you use the same hole every time) kind of like the air hole in a basketball.

Q: Are you afraid of needles?
A: Yes, and I look away when drawing blood. Oddly enough, I usually put in my own needles but had to hold the camera this time (that's why she was asking me about the angle).

Q: What is that knot on your forearm?
A: It is an "AV Fistula" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arteriovenous_fistula). It is an operation which attaches an artery to a vein to get the arterial pressure needed for dialysis in an accessible location.

Q: What is she doing with the syringes?
A: She has to "flush the line" to make sure there isn't a clot or blockage and to make sure that the needle is actually in my vein. If it isn't, I'd feel a lot of pain from what I understand.

Q: What are all those beeping sounds?
A: Funny, but I completely tuned those out when making this video because I'm so used to them. The machines are continuously monitoring patients and if anything is out of tolerance (blood pressure too high or too low), or you move your arm too much and the arterial/venous pressure is too much for the machine, it will beep. Usually, it is a matter of pressing a button on the screen or checking on the patient -- I've never seen anything "serious".

Q: Why are there different colored needles?
A: Although they are both the same type (blunt), I think it helps the technician know which one goes to the arterial line and which goes to the venous line of the machine.

See Dialysis Part II for how one gets taken off dialysis.

UPDATE:

I've posted another video of my recovery from transplant one year later. Please check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKVqV398xh8


Damon Danieli

Category:

Education

Tags:

• dialysis
• disease
• kidney
• lwkc

[stubanas25]

Does the bump on ur arm or the fistula go away ???? I'm 13 and I have Ckd and I have to do dialysis

[damondanieli]

@stubanas25 I'm so sorry to hear that because you are so young. The fistula does not go away by itself but I think you can get it removed surgically. However, I still have mine. The only thing I miss is playing volleyball.

[xXLoVeRandHaTeRXx]

@damondanieli what were your symptoms of kidney disease...... i just want to know all of mine because i have anxiety i dont want to annoy u but could you tell me some of them?

[damondanieli]

@xXLoVeRandHaTeRXx Thank you for asking. I didn't feel any symptoms but a health checkup found my blood pressure to be 190/110 and that I had a trace amount of blood in my urine. Subsequent followup determined that I had IgA Nephropathy.

[lovedocter100]

hey im going to be going on dialysis too... i was woundering after i get a doner will i be done with dialysis and they will take the shunt out? and oh. is that a shunt in ur arm? just woundering!!! please message me back!!!!

[damondanieli]

@lovedocter100 Hi LD,

You will be done with dialysis with a successful transplant. It is up to you if you want the additional surgery to take out the AV Fistula (the lump on my forearm). I've left mine in but I miss being able to play volleyball.

[ionutk9]

why do they use a tourniquet? in my country they wouldn't do that cause it could hurt the fistula it might stop the buzz and break it

[MrArmandito3000]

I recently got my bump taken out of my arm 3 weeks ago after 3 yrs after my transplant they can reverse if you choose.Good thing your getting a transplant

[TokyoOreoz]

I offered my kidney to some random stranger also. It's so weird because we just started talking and I was wondering what those bumps on his arm was and now I know! He had a transplant before but it wasn't successful. Hopefully my kidney will be the one for him! :3

[Darthon62]

It has been 6 years since I have dialysis.It still makes me sad to hear the tones again.Thank God for transplants.

[jeffhardyvsme]

Ugh I remember when I had to do dailidis (my spellin sucks)8 years ago

[xXLoVeRandHaTeRXx]

@damondanieli what were your symptoms of kidney disease...... i just want to know all of mine because i have anxiety i dont want to annoy u but could you tell me some of them? i just dont want to die.