We hope not. But just in case, Jim is now equipped with a fistula in his left arm should the need for dialysis occur. While it will take about 3-4 months before it heals and could be used for hemodialysis, if it never gets used, thats fine. It's not hurting anything. That's what we're hoping for.
We arrived at Barnes at 7:00 am this morning for the procedure. They took him to the OR around 8:30 am. The procedure lasted around 1 hour. While Jim wanted general anesthesia, the anesthesiologist opted for a local anesthetic. They assured Jim that if he was feeling pain, they would keep him sedated enough to control the pain. He said he was able to hear while the procedure was going on, but also was able to sleep some. The recovery time with a local anesthetic is much quicker and we were out of the hospital by noon. He has a 5" scar on the inner part of his arm. While it is open (no bandage covering it) and is somewhat bruised, it doesn't look bad at all. I knew he was feeling ok when in the typical Jim fashion he said he was hungry and wanted a cheeseburger!!
He is home resting now and recovery should be quick. The only long-term effects he will have with a fistula in his arm is that he can never have an IV or his blood pressure taken in that arm. It could cause the fistula to clot. For the next few days he has to take the stethoscope he was given (god only knows how much that cost us) and check the "heart beat" of the vein to make sure it is getting blood flow. If he feels tingling or coldness in his arm/fingers, he is to call the doctor immediately. This means he is not getting blood flow through the vein. He was also sent home with plenty of paid meds (his favorite) which always helps.
My Thoughts.....All in all everything went very well today. While this is the next step in Jim's Journey, we are still hoping for a successful transplant in the future. Fingers (and fistulas) crossed.
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