My first day of dialysis - Dialysis Tips

Your first day of dialysis is like your first day of school.  I was unsure about what to expect so I called the dialysis center the day my before treatment started and asked if I could do a quick tour of the facilities.   At least I would be able to see what was behind the closed doors.

The dialysis center reminded me of a hospital. There is a nurse’s station in the middle, surrounded by 16 chairs. 4 chairs on each side.  Each chair is a recliner and next to it is the dialysis machine.  On the wall in front of each chair is a TV.  Almost everyone having treatment was sleeping but it was so noisy.  Alarms were beeping and there were some people on their phones (using speakerphone).  But no one was talking to each other. 

The next day was my first day of treatment. When you walk in, everyone is staring at you like, “who’s the new girl?” I was asked to weigh and then I was quickly whisked away to a chair and strapped with a blood pressure cuff.  My BP was high….hmm, I wonder why??

Then the nurse started uncapping the tubes hanging out of my body and connecting me to this monster machine that is taller than I am.  The tubes make their way through the machine and there is a disk spinning in the middle.  Once I’m connected to the machine, the nurse typed in a few things and just like that, my blood starts to leave my body.  The tubes get warm and I got cold fast.

Now I’m fortunate that the dialysis center has chairs with heaters, but that wasn’t enough for me.  My advice…bring a blanket!  Get one that is comfortable, fluffy and luxurious!  You are going to be there for 4 hours so you might as well be comfy (as much as possible).

Here are a couple of my blanket recommendations:

• Bedsure Faux Fur Cream Throw Blanket – Fuzzy, Fluffy, and Shaggy Cream Blankets, Soft and Thick Sherpa, Cozy Warm Decorative Gift, Throw Blankets for Couch, Sofa, Bed, 50x60 Inches, 640 GSM https://a.co/d/5nSwqIo 

• blunique Soft Fuzzy Faux Fur Throw Blanket in Camel – Cozy, Fluffy, Plush Fleece Blanket, Furry, Shaggy Accent for Couch, Bed, Sofa, Travel, and Office; Thick, Warm Cover for Women,50x60 Inches https://a.co/d/2hqEq1i