Day 3 of Recovery from the AV Fistula Surgery
You don’t know what you have until it is gone. Only having one arm is a real challenge. The next day, the block that was put in was still there, but much less. I had tingles in my hand and I could bend it and pickup things, if they were light. It is amazing to me how much things way. Like my jug of water that I use… very heavy. Refrigerator doors, heavy.
The good news is that it was one and done. Instead of the planned two stage operation, they did the whole thing, and I am done. The surgeon team was very sympathetic to the concept of looking for one good place to do the fistula when we discussed it and they found it. The incision is right below the elbow. Totally manageable place when I have to become a pin cushion.
The night we got home, my hair was pretty askew, and I needed to have it put into a ponytail. My arm was not going to help, and you cannot do a ponytail with one hand. I enlisted my husband. Oh man, the guy has never done a ponytail in his life and had no clue. He did not know how to pull my very long hair through. After multiple tries, we had a semblance of most of my hair on the side top of my hair. It would have to do.
The next day, I was still very tired. The pain was a dull ache, and my hand was less puffy. I got up and read email and a few other things and then went back to bed. I slept three and a half hours. We had a light dinner, watched a movie and back to bed.
I really enjoyed the ability to sleep. I get insomnia very easily. Naps are wasted on children. I have my best sleep when I steal a nap. But I do not do it often because then I do not sleep at night.
Saturday, I was feeling stronger in my arm. I could bend it and hold things in my hand. I was still tired and having nasty gastrointestinal issues. Most people leave the hospital with narcotics after surgery. I did not. My choice. I am on Tylenol as needed and I take it before bed. Narcotics bind you up, big time. What they do not tell you is that anesthesia does the opposite and I had mega dose. Also, antibiotics were administered, and the result was a cocktail of explosive proportions. Pun intended. My stomach hurt and I was nauseous. Without being too graphic, I was spending a lot of time on the pot.
This nausea scared me. I am always worried my kidneys are going to crash. My GFR is low, but I felt good before the surgery. I even went to my water aerobics class on Tuesday. With this upset and feeling icky, I thought that maybe the surgery had finished me off.
Today is Sunday and the nausea and icky feeling is better. I had a rough night however, as my leg was bothering me. I now have edema. I did not until they put me on amlodipine and hydralazine. Now if I have my legs down for any length of time, they puff up. I put on compression socks. Went on ok, had a horrible time getting them off. My old friend insomnia was back, and I was awake from 1:30 am to 4am. I just lay there and think. Not good. I try to go to a state of meditation, but then the marching band comes through and my thoughts are all over the place.
My arm is puffy and sore. Not going to lie about the pain. Totally doable though. Looks terrible. It is all purple. My arm is stiff. Last night while watching TV, I wrapped my arm in a heating pad. Nirvana. It really helped. I cannot wear my rings yet, and I had to switch my watch to my other hand. Such are my issues.
Before the surgery, I practice not using my arm. Discovered I could not get in or out of my bed because it was too high. We had a neighbor come over and he and my hubby took the bed apart and we threw out the frame. Now it is low enough for me to sit and swing my legs in. I can put my shoes and socks on without having to hop up and steady myself. This is something if you are having this surgery to check.
The other thing we did not think of until it was too late was the stairs. I cannot get up the inside stairs to my house. We have a raised ranch. You come into the house in the lower level where we have a family room, my husband’s den, and utilities. Upstairs is the main living areas and the bedrooms. Fortunately, there are outside stairs with two iron banisters. But inside, the banister is on the left. The side my arm is that I cannot lean on. Hopefully, a friend is coming to put a second railing in. We should have thought of this. I will never be able to lean my weight on the arm to pull myself upstairs like I do.
Onward and upward. Today there is a block party, and we are going for a while. For those of you who, like me, perseverate on the unknown, I hope this posting helps to alleviate some fear. I read an article last night that after this surgery, it is not uncommon for the GFR to remain and even go up a bit for a while. I will try to find the link. Ever hopeful that I have the time to heal and build the fistula up.
Fistula won't work
New AV Fistulsa
difficulty with fistula
Getting Ready For a Fistula, am nervous, any advice?
