My actual training to perform peritoneal dialysis in my apartment will start next month, according to my nurse/instructor, Connie, although I had hoped it would have been this month. But it takes at least six weeks for the insertion of the catheter, which was surgically inserted in my stomach on Jan. 8.
All seemed to be fine with the surgery but then I noted a bit of dampness around the insertion. It was thought that since I had two procedures, the insertion of the catheter and the repair of a hernia, it might have been a physical reaction.. But Dr. James F. Whiting, the surgeon, found that it was actually a slight tear in the tubing ”“ a section of the catheter ”“ and repaired it.
Connie checked the site while I was having my regular dialysis the next day ”“ with screens around my recliner ”“ and said I now could take a shower and after meticulously drying myself, I could put on the pads around the entry point where the catheter is inserted without wearing a mask and gloves. Of course, the mandatory three-minute hand wash is observed despite taking the shower.
While taking the shower, the catheter with its tubing swings down around your thighs and you instinctively want to protect it from the stream of water, but Connie assured me all was well. I have had several showers without incident. I have to add; however, as I tape the padding around the insertion site and the tubing to my stomach, the tape still inevitably sticks to my fingers. It’s a daily battle and I lose more tape than I actually use.
I have another obstacle to face in my goal of performing home dialysis. Whether or not my “bachelor” apartment will pass inspection. Catherine, the affable social worker at the York County Dialysis Center in Biddeford, informed me that Connie and she will inspect my apartment before allowing home dialysis.
Now, as readers of this column over the past two years know, I’m not exactly a good housekeeper, and my two nieces Donna Healey and Karen Golden, and my friend Liz Walsh have urged me to get help. I defend it as a “bachelor” apartment, but to be candid, the three have a point. And I’m in the process of getting help before Connie and Catherine arrive to inspect my small but comfortable apartment.
I honestly try to keep things in order, vacuum the wall-to-wall carpeting, wash the kitchen floor and bathroom, and it looks fine in my eyes. But the next day, I admit, it doesn’t shine as it did the previous day. And, then, of course I’m on dialysis three days a week and I’m in the process of putting all my columns ”“ 50 or so ”“ in book form, and that takes priority over the household tasks.
There is another thing I have to mention. In my previous column I write that I played Bunny Berrigan’s great 78 phonograph record, “I Can’t Get Started With You” because it ran for three minutes while I washed my hands. First of all, I got several e-mails from reader asking what a 78 phonograph record was. These were 10-inch wax records that turned at 78 revolutions per minute and all the name orchestras, as well as singers, recorded their music in this format.
But lo and behold, Arnold Olean, who has a Saturday night radio program, Classic Jazz, on WBACH-FM, played Bunny’s hit the other night and when it was over, he announced it ran over four minutes. So it meant I washed my hands for over four minutes. Incidentally, he was a great trumpet player who, sadly, died in his early 30s.
— George Douglas writes bi-weekly about his experiences as a kidney dialysis patient. He is the former editor of the Boston Post. He lives in Kennebunk and can be contacted via e-mail at gadoug23@earthlink.net.
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