The clock starts ticking

For the last three and half years, Jayaram, a dialysis tech has been coming home every night around 10 to help me start my dialysis treatment. Once the session starts, he sleeps in the same room on a mattress. If there is any problem, he wakes up and takes care of it.

Jayaram is an excellent tech. He knows the ins and outs of a treatment. He knows what to do if any problem comes up. I have complete confidence in him. When he is around, I am not at all worried. Even if anything goes wrong, I know he will be able to handle it.

Once in a way, he cannot come. He sends his brother, who is also a dialysis tech to fill in for him. This guy is not half as good as Jayaram. I am a bundle of nerves when he is there.

Jayaram is in his mid-twenties. Of marriageable age. Probably very eligible in his circles. I have been thinking about this for a long time. When Jayaram gets married, obviously, he will not be able to come home for my treatments. Then what?

I have been wanting to learn the treatment myself. I did actually. For a few months I would start the treatment myself entirely. Jayaram would come often after the treatment had started. But then, there were a couple of incidents where some complications arose. My family and I got a little nervous after these incidents. Ever since, I have been waiting for Jayaram to come and start dialysis. (I do the cannulation myself, however.)

This morning Jayaram mentioned that his family had a girl in mind for him and he was going to see her today. I realized that the process had started. Sooner or later, he would find a suitable girl and get married. After that, what?

I realize that I need to get trained in starting and stopping my treatments and handling any complications that might arise. There is just no other way. Fresenius has been talking about home hemo training in India. I have no idea when that is going to materialize.

I am too used to nocturnal home hemo and its comforts to even consider in center hemo. I will have to find a way to get trained really soon. The problem with me is I think about all these things only on weekends. The moment Monday mornings come, I get so busy with my work that I don't have the time or the energy to think about the other, more important things in my life.