I know things sounded bleak last week, but when we jumped into this week's training things got a LOT better. I think we both are much more comfortable about the home dialysis path. I have been setting Sabine up this week (blood draws, sterile connections, heparin injections, etc) with minimal supervision and Sabine seems relaxed (of course, you can ask her!).
We came back from the Access Clinic at the UW Hospital this morning and met with the surgeon, Dr Yolanda Becker, who will do the access surgery (the date is August 5th). While Sabine's veins are a little narrow, she will do her best to get a fistula implanted. If that cannot be done then an artificial "graft" will be put into her arm.
I got the lab results from Sabine's recent blood tests and I think it is some good news (though Dr Sheehan will give us the expert report next Wednesday when we meet with him). But, my "arm-chair" medical opinion is that the results are good: her nasty lambda light chains, which were depressed to 100 during last chemo cycle 9 weeks ago, have only increased to 208 since we stopped the chemotherapy. I think this is good news seeing when we started chemotherapy her light chain level was at 10,800!
We are in the process of preparing the cottage for our dialysis site -- cleaner than the farm's wet basement and the cottage has a better electrical system and is closer to the EMS.
Another couple of steps forward. Pray the Dr Becker can find good veins for the fistula and that the myeloma stays repressed.
Love to all!
