Hi All,
Well, we met with the Vascular group at our Albany Medical Center yesterday.
His left had is in such bad shape that we need to do some things in the next couple of days to help try and save his fingers.
Results of Angio is that he has 2 stenosis pretty near each other in the left sub clavin area. We talked about a D.R.I.L. but the Dr. felt that that would not help because of the 2 blockages. So they did a dopler on his left arm (upper arm fistula) and when they pressed on the fistula, the amount of blood that would be going to the fingers is 3 times what it is at present. They also did vein mapping. Found we have 2 great spots to put a new fistula. Lower right arm above the wrist and the upper right arm. So this is the game plan. He will go into the hospital and they will put a new fistula in lower right arm, put in a Palindrome catheter (Dr. said they did not have them at the center. I told him to order one! I told him why I wanted it and he was ok with that. He will order one.)and finally tie off the good working fistula in the upper left arm. We are hoping that the blood flow will increase enough to get to the fingers.
So please all pray. I do not want to see him loose his fingers. If this does not work to get the blood flow going than they talked about doing a carotid subclavin bypass. I really do not want to have to do this as there is about 1/2% chance he could stroke since that would use the carotid to do the bypass.
I am waiting for the phone call from the schedular as to when this will happen.
Our center will work with me to learn the protocols for using the catheter when he gets home.
Let me tell you that yesterday was a super learning experience and mentally draining.
But we will get through this.
God has been good to us and I pray he keeps that goodness coming!
So that is it for now.
God bless to all!
Pat
Hi Folks
Hi Pat
Been a while , I hope and will send my prayers to Ralph and You and Family
Bob Obrien
Dear Pat
You and Ralph must be doing it tough at the moment. Sending you warm thoughts and best wishes from down under. I hope everything goes much smoother for you real soon.
Cheers
Mel (aka beachy)
Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes.
Life is Great!
God is Good to us.
Love
Pat
Hi Pat,
I’m glad to hear that the doctor is working with you and Ralph and has done the vein mapping to figure out a new place for an access. It’s also good that the plan is to do the lower arm access to keep the upper arm for later if needed. I will keep Ralph (and you) in my thoughts and prayers that when the other access is tied off, blood flow will increase to his fingers.
Hi Pat,
I’ve been thinking about you two since you posted this, and will add my hopes that all goes as well as possible. Please keep us updated!
A Palidrome catheter was placed in his upper right chest on Wed 2/20.
On Thursday they tied off the good upper left fistula so that the blood could flow again to his left hand.
They also created a new fistula in his lower right wrist. The fistula is purrrrring like a kitten.
They used the catheter on Thursday for a short treatment and it worked great.
We left the hospital on Friday AM in a snow storm to go to our center so I could be shown how to dialyse with the catheter. That went well also.
But tomorrow night it will be my first time ALONE to do this. I know it is not hard but I want to be sure that I do not compromise him at all.
After I do it a few nights it will be old hat I am sure.
Thank you to all who keep us in their prayers.
We sure do appreciate it.
Life is Great!
God Bless
Pat
Hi Folks
Hi Pat
That is great news to hear . Can you explain some things. such as ““D.R. I. L”” I’m not very good good at all the medical terms. and did Ralph do anything to bring this on (like bump his arm , hand) or do this happen on it’s own?
As to me and my arm and hand I have to talked with Dr and they really don’t want to do anything for fear of losing fistula. So I will do my best at keeping track of it. Thank You
Best To You Ralph
Bob OBrien
[QUOTE=Pat Colongione;15494]Hi All,
Well, we met with the Vascular group at our Albany Medical Center yesterday.
His left had is in such bad shape that we need to do some things in the next couple of days to help try and save his fingers.
Results of Angio is that he has 2 stenosis pretty near each other in the left sub clavin area. We talked about a D.R.I.L. but the Dr. felt that that would not help because of the 2 blockages. So they did a dopler on his left arm (upper arm fistula) and when they pressed on the fistula, the amount of blood that would be going to the fingers is 3 times what it is at present. They also did vein mapping. Found we have 2 great spots to put a new fistula. Lower right arm above the wrist and the upper right arm. So this is the game plan. He will go into the hospital and they will put a new fistula in lower right arm, put in a Palindrome catheter (Dr. said they did not have them at the center. I told him to order one! I told him why I wanted it and he was ok with that. He will order one.)and finally tie off the good working fistula in the upper left arm. We are hoping that the blood flow will increase enough to get to the fingers.
So please all pray. I do not want to see him loose his fingers. If this does not work to get the blood flow going than they talked about doing a carotid subclavin bypass. I really do not want to have to do this as there is about 1/2% chance he could stroke since that would use the carotid to do the bypass.
I am waiting for the phone call from the schedular as to when this will happen.
Our center will work with me to learn the protocols for using the catheter when he gets home.
Let me tell you that yesterday was a super learning experience and mentally draining.
But we will get through this.
God has been good to us and I pray he keeps that goodness coming!
So that is it for now.
God bless to all!
Pat[/QUOTE]
Hi Bob,
I asked that same question about the DRIL-basiclly they roto-ruter the area from the carodid (sp) artery to the artery in the upper arm. They would not have worked on Ralph as he has 2 small blockages in the subclavin (shoulder) area. They could not stent them as Ralph can not take aspirin and plavix. The last time he did he bleed out and had to be hospitalized for 10 days. The only other thing they can do is do a carotid subclavin bypass. This can be extremely dangerous as there is a 1/2% chance he could stroke.
I really do not want to take that chance. That is why we had to tie off the good fistula. This way he could get the blood flow back into the hand. Ralph started to have a problem with low blood flow to his hand about 6 months ago. We just thought this was normal. He cut his finger at Christmas time and he really never healed. When I came home from work he said he cut himself and I thought it was funny there was no blood on the bandage. It really never hit me that the reason it did not bleed was there was no blood flow in the hand. We kept watching it. I can not tell you how many nights we were up because his hand hurt. Everyone was looking at it but the pieces just did not come together until another spot appeared on a different finger and he did not cut that one. That is when we were sent to the vasular surgeon. After they did the PVR’s (that is where they test with blood pressure cuffs to see how much blood is getting into the hand) the found there was no blood flow into his left hand. They do this with his legs as well. He has already had stents put in his leg for PAD Periferial Artory Disease. Than they did an Angio of his left arm and hand. That is when they found the 2 small blockages. Then decisions had to be made.
So that is where we are. The hand started to pink up right away. Thank the Lord.
So tonight I will do the first treatment with a catheter. Wish me well.
Pat
Hi Folks
Hi Pat
Thank You for the information . On my arm the the one line clotted and they numbed my arm then sent a wire into it to rid me of clot. as a result my left hand was left at first numb and it tingled (my whole left hand)as time went by the numbness let up some and the tingling is now just in three fingers.
As to a cath when I first started home I used a cath. I love the ease of getting on and off. I hate the extra precautions you have to use as to showering etc. Plus during the summer months since I out a lot working outside it needed to changed (dressing) all the time due to sweat and type of work I tend to due.
I will be thinking of you folks till I hear that things have gone well and you two have made the change back to your new fistula.
All The Best
Bob OBrien
[QUOTE=Pat Colongione;15562]Hi Bob,
I asked that same question about the DRIL-basiclly they roto-ruter the area from the carodid (sp) artery to the artery in the upper arm. They would not have worked on Ralph as he has 2 small blockages in the subclavin (shoulder) area. They could not stent them as Ralph can not take aspirin and plavix. The last time he did he bleed out and had to be hospitalized for 10 days. The only other thing they can do is do a carotid subclavin bypass. This can be extremely dangerous as there is a 1/2% chance he could stroke.
I really do not want to take that chance. That is why we had to tie off the good fistula. This way he could get the blood flow back into the hand. Ralph started to have a problem with low blood flow to his hand about 6 months ago. We just thought this was normal. He cut his finger at Christmas time and he really never healed. When I came home from work he said he cut himself and I thought it was funny there was no blood on the bandage. It really never hit me that the reason it did not bleed was there was no blood flow in the hand. We kept watching it. I can not tell you how many nights we were up because his hand hurt. Everyone was looking at it but the pieces just did not come together until another spot appeared on a different finger and he did not cut that one. That is when we were sent to the vasular surgeon. After they did the PVR’s (that is where they test with blood pressure cuffs to see how much blood is getting into the hand) the found there was no blood flow into his left hand. They do this with his legs as well. He has already had stents put in his leg for PAD Periferial Artory Disease. Than they did an Angio of his left arm and hand. That is when they found the 2 small blockages. Then decisions had to be made.
So that is where we are. The hand started to pink up right away. Thank the Lord.
So tonight I will do the first treatment with a catheter. Wish me well.
Pat[/QUOTE]
If you have tingling in 3 fingers, this may be a symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition usually affects the thumb, index and middle fingers. Here’s a government fact sheet on carpal tunnel syndrome.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/carpal_tunnel/detail_carpal_tunnel.htm
Pat you and Ralph are in my prayers.
I thought I should give you all an update.
Ralph’s hand is healing beautifully!!! Amen!
We had a rough night on Tuesday with all kinds of alarms. Went in Center on Wed to be sure Catheter was not clogged. Back up treatment on Wed went without a hitch.
What we needed to do was to sleep with our heads at the foot of our bed so Ralph’s catheter is on the same side of as the machine. I was kinking the lines and did not know it.
We have been running without a hitch since!! Hallaluha!!!
Now all I need to do is keep packing! We are moving on March 28 and 29 to Senior housing.
I can not wait. I am tired of mowing and snowblowing and shoveling!!!
Life is Great.
God Bless you all.
Pat
Great news. Know any local NxStage dialyzors on bags?
The boxes are great for moving. Stack well and small enough that they can’t get too heavy. That’s my sales pitch to Craigslist when I give my boxes away free. They are popular.
Hi Bill,
Thanks for the info.
I have already started using the one’s that have the cartridges in but I will call the center to see who has some.
Pat
Yes it Pat.
Glad things are going good.
Dianne