Still Poking Around

Well, we are just about there -- "there" being an established "buttonhole."  On Monday, we planned on using the blunt-end fisula needles for the access.  I got the lower arterial needle in right away (I was told we had a good "channel" established there, but ran into problems with the upper venous needle and had to go back to a sharp needle to gain access to the fistula.  Tomorrow we will be back at it again.  This has been a long procedure with some initial setbacks in establishing the surgical fisula connection in Sabine's upper arm.  But now we are confident we are in the homestretch and will soon be sent home doing the dialysis through the fistula.  In the meantime, we do two days at home (through the catheter) and three days in the dialysis clinic in Madison.  Summer's coming -- Sabine feels the water (which she has been prevented from entering due to the tunnel catheter in her neck) beckoning!  THINK SPRING!