Oh what a fall there was...

Last night was my dialysis after my regular weekly off. Since I don't dialyse on Tuesdays, I usually end up with twice as much fluid on Wednesday nights than other nights. I started my session with a 5 kg UF goal and a 3 step UF profile. I have pulled off 5 kg with ease in the past and did not expect this session to be any different.

I woke at about 4 a.m. with cramps in my right foot. Whenever my legs cramp, I find that standing alleviates the symptoms within a few seconds. I instantly got out of bed, still half asleep and stood next to my bed. The next thing I realised was that I was on the floor, my knees paining sharply and feeling very dizzy. I called out to Guruvulu, the tech who comes home to help with my dialysis. Poor guy! He must have been shocked to see me on the ground. He sprung up and helped me get up and get back on the bed.

By then I was completely in my senses and tried to piece together what had just happened. I figured that I must have stood up to relieve the cramps. In the process, my Blood Pressure might have plummeted and I must have lost consciousness. The impact of the knees hitting the ground might have startled me back to consciousness.

I considered it nothing short of a miracle that the needles did not come out of the sites. That would have been a horrible disaster.

I drank some cold water and lay on the bed, needles thankfully intact, enabling my blood to continue to go through the machine, recovering from the horrible fall I had just had. I couldn't sleep at all.

I began what could have been an endless cycle of depression. "I can't even stand properly now." "Look where I am headed." "One day of no dialysis and I am basically screwed."

I said to myself, "Stop right there! No need to get all depressed. This was a one time thing. Your BP went low. That's it."

That helped!

Once dialysis was terminated, I had my cup of Darjeeling Tea and went off for my daily morning swim! Proud of myself!

Comments

Santu said…
Oh my !! Just the thought of what you have gone through gives me the shivers.

Your resilient and aware self is what pulled you through !! Kudos to your spirit Kamal !! Kudos !!

Proud of you !!
Anonymous said…
Great spririt Kamal. Keep it up. But one request that don’t try standing up very immediately when you feel cramping while you are in deep sleep. Wake up fully and then sit on the bed for a moment keeping the foot resting and pressing on the floor and then still if it is required, stand up for ease out from Cramps symptoms.
-----Murali