Catching Up in my Dialysis-Centric Life

I’m a happy camper. Last night no alarms again with the new Cycler! Pulled 1300mL on ultrafiltration. To those not familiar with dialysis, the amount of fluid that the cycler pulls out over what it puts in is called ultrafiltration and is the result of fluids you inputted prior to dialysis. 1.3 liter is a healthy amount to pull out. My weight this morning reflected the increased filtration coming in at 145 pounds of mean and lean maleness.

Another good thing happened yesterday: FedEx showed up and removed my old cycler for return. Yea on this!

Received a call from the doctor’s office that installed my catheter after a referral from my nephrologist to check out potential blockage in my catheter system. Supposed to call back later yesterday afternoon and did not so I’m hanging on this aspect. Always seems to be something hanging.

My wife and I have been planning our six-day trip back to visit her sisters in Indiana, a two-day each-way journey of about 1000 miles. We have decided to put the required bulk items for each dialysis in individual boxes to include: one 5000mL, one 3000mL, a cassette, and a stay.safe plug. In another “carry-on” will be all the other required safety and aseptic supplies required for dialysis. We will also load some drain bags in case the 20-foot drain line on the standard cassette won’t reach a drain in the motel, and an extension cord for power.

Speaking of power, I was browsing through the new cycler manual and saw the power requirements as being 480 watts at 100 volts. Using Watts=voltage times amps, we derive 480/100 = 4.8 amps max the cycler draws. Based on this and lots of other calculations, you would need five 200 Ah batteries which are large and expensive to run a cycler for up to 12 hours. Much better to consider a low-noise Honda 1000 generator instead. They can be converted to run on propane and with the appropriately-sized propane tank, should be capable of lasting an entire dialysis session.