Scheduled

You win some, you lose some and I give thanks after two phone calls and a lot of hanging around this morning I managed to re-schedule a vascular access appointment before I left today. I hope this will lead to scheduling what should be a relatively minor op to put my fistula right, as a band was put round it to slow it down last year and, now it's flowing too slowly, removing or loosening it would seem to be the way to go. I'm not keen on these procedures but neither am I keen on treatment days when the machine keeps going off and/or my arm gets very sore...nor having to be at the hospital at 9.00 am on a non dialysis day to see a surgeon! I was pretty sure there wasn't much to be done about the latter but ready to plead my case...so I was surprised how helpful the admin staff were, resulting in a new booking on a Monday afternoon instead and two weeks sooner too, which might be also wise.

Meanwhile the machine had a lot of complaints to make today about the state of my remodelled vein. I was very grateful for the great tenderness of the staff - and not too much tenderness in my arm  - but when we'd all lost count of all the stoppages and my generally reasonably good nature was wearing thin, I said to the nurse that I might ask to finish a little before the time I should. She said in her opinion the machine would feel the same and we agreed if nothing improved by 5pm I'd quit. Strangely then the machine settled down for more than half an hour and left us with an impending dilemma. She was working in the corridor outside and our eyes met as we puzzled what to do...and then a moment later, at 5pm on the dot as if it had understood our pact, the machine alarm sounded again and we both burst out laughing! I was most grateful for my early release...

I give thanks for pretty skies these last two evenings.....and for the WEEKEND!!! Woohoo!!!