We all know the first level solution to technical issues is the classic ‘reboot’. Most of us by now will know to apply this problem solving activity ourselves and will switch our computers on and off before reaching out for help. Today I discovered the dialysis equivalent of the IT ‘off’ and ‘on’ problem solving technique. It is the ‘bed tilt’.
The ‘bed tilt’ is a move that involves lowering the head of the bed and raising of the knees and feet simultaneously. The end result is a laying down position with a slight bend in your knees and your feet are above the level of your heart. It is actually quite comfortable and I have found myself quickly falling off to sleep when put into this ‘bed tilt’ position.
The ‘bed tilt’ seems to be a miracle worker and can be applied as a solution to many situations that may occur during a dialysis session.
When you have a headache = bed tilt
If you feel nauseous = bed tilt
If your blood pressure is low = bed tilt
When you feel light headed and dizzy = bed tilt
If you are getting cramps = bed tilt
The powers of the ‘bed tilt’are strong within the dialysis community. Today I experienced ‘bed tilt’ first hand. My second dialysis treatment did not go too well. I was experiencing quite a bit of pain and my blood pressure was emergency low. As a response my nurses kept implementing the ‘bed tilt’. By half way through my dialysis session I was dangerously close to spilling head first out of bed. I decided at that point not to raise any further awareness of pain or distress.
After two dialysis sessions I have come to the realisation that dialysis isn’t a walk in the park. It is going to challenge me mentally and physically.
Dialysis will challenge me mentally because of the environment and pain associated with the treatment. It is difficult to shut myself off from the other patients as we are all laying side by side in an open room. Yesterday a young girl screamed and was quite distressed when the nurses were putting the needles into her arm. It was difficult to hear the screaming and it was another reminder that we weren’t in Kansas anymore. It was a reminder that I was spending my Saturday in a hospital ward. It was a reminder that I was sharing my day with a group of strangers all battling to stay alive.
The physical side of dialysis is just as daunting as the mental side of it. At the moment I am getting my dialysis done through my chest catheter so I am not having to go through the needles in the arm just yet. The needle approach will occur in about six weeks once my arm has healed from surgery. This plagues me as I am not looking forward to needles the size of a pen being pushed into my veins every few days.
Even though I’m not on the needles yet yesterday I could feel the blood flow through my chest tubes and into my heart. It was uncomfortable. It felt similar to heart burn. I also had cramping in my legs and crippling back pain. My nurse explained that these symptoms are from the changes in my toxins. For years my body has been functioning with high levels of toxins due to my kidneys failing. Now through dialysis my body is being stripped of these familiar toxins. The pain and symptoms I am now experiencing is my body trying to get use to this big change.
In a nut shell I can expect to get worse before I get better. Not exactly what I wanted to hear but at this point in my journey I am not surprised. Living with organ failure is hard. It is complex. And dialysis is not a silver bullet. It doesn’t hold all the answers and it brings with it different challenges.
Today I learnt the power of the ‘bed tilt’.
Today I learnt how steep my road is.
Today I learnt who I need bedside my bed.