PD Training - Day 2

This time, I got to the PD unit at 8am sharp. First thing I did was an exchange, all by myself (with Amma looking on worriedly, following along with the instructions, as always). Then the nurse came in, and we went through a few chapters of the training manual - this was mostly to deal with what to do if I so much as SUSPECTED an exit site, tunnel or peritoneal infection.

For the latter two, I'm supposed to take bags for 2-3 exchanges, the drain bag from the suspicious exchange and page 47 of my PD guide, and head straight to the closest Emergency Room. Page 47 gives the ER staff instructions on what to do until the PD unit or one of my doctors can be contacted. The drain bag is so they have something to culture so they can tailor the treatment to the particular infection agent. Until the agent is identified, I will be on broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Which reminds me, I need to make a copy of that sheet and keep it with me always...

For an exit site infection, I'm supposed to NOT clean the site, but just put the same dressing back on and head to the PD unit as soon as possible. This is so they have something to culture, to find the infection agent and tailor treatment to that.

After the rather intense drilling I got on this, Amma and I were ready to break for an early lunch. This time, I was smarter. I ate only two idlis, and didn't try to eat any more. In fact, it got to the point that I was actually afraid to eat, because I didn't like feeling so full all the bloody time.

Before I knew it, it was time to do the next exchange and then leave. In the middle of it, the nurse said, oh-so-casually, "By the way, you are going to be doing the next stage of your training yourself, at home tomorrow." I was simultaneously elated that I wouldn't have to get up in the middle of the night, practically (which 6am is, to me), and terrified that I would make some mistake in the procedure and end up with a peritoneal infection even before finishing up my training.

We left at 2pm as usual. As on Day 1, we got home about 3:00pm, then I started work. As soon as I was done with that, we went shopping - I wanted a microwave to install upstairs, to be used ONLY for heating the solution bags, and I wanted a footstool for the rocking chair. And I wanted a couple tables and other stuff as well. What I finally got that day was just the microwave oven. I'm still not allowed to lift anything heavy, so Amma managed to get the microwave out of the car, and take it upstairs, all by herself (she wouldn't even let me help). I got to hover around her and watch her possibly strain her back. VERY frustrating.

We went to Costco and identified exactly what shelving unit I wanted for the garage. However, we couldn't lift the box, so I asked my friend V for a favor, which being the generous man that he is, he did immediately. I called Costco and got him the item number of the shelf, a general description and even the aisle number in the Woodinville Costco, so on his way home Thursday, he stopped there, got the shelf, unloaded it in my garage.


We got my little Dialysis Corner set up a bit better now, with the microwave sitting on a nightstand from Amma's room (which was the closest to "sturdy stool" that we could find at the time). There was no notable drama with the next exchange I did - the only thing was I forgot the mask, again.