Phosphorus Update

Does it feel like the title of my post are very repetitious? I feel like all I talk about is a pesky phosphorus. BUT.... I am hoping that this may be the end of it. Ladies and Gentlecars (hehe anyone know what movie that's from?) uh hum (clearing throat), drum roll please....

Catheter Phosphorus #1 14.1
Catheter Phosphorus #2 2.6
Venous Stick 1.5

Can I get a woo woo!!! I will now try to control myself and explain these GORGEOUS phosphorus numbers to you! Nurse Sara (Max's primary hemo dialysis nurse) is a GENIUS as well!!! Before I go on about her genius theory, I will give you a little bit of background information so that it makes a little more sense to ya'll. Here we go. On a typical dialysis patient when a nurse is about to hook him/her up, they will remove about 3mL's of blood that they waste. In that blood includes the TPA (blood clot breaker upper medication). On Max, since he is so small, they only remove 1mL. SO.... Sara's GENIUS theory is that they aren't removing enough "wasted" blood from Max and the TPA is altering the lab results. So, the reason that there are 2 catheter results from today is this: Sara drew one lab the exact same way that we do every day, by just removing the 1mL of waste. She then drew a second one where she drew back a total of 20mL of "waste." She drew 10mL from one side of the catheter and another 10mL from the other side. (There are two lumens on the catheter- one to take the blood and one to give it back). THEN she drew his labs. Everyone still with me? If not I am sorry, I am trying to explain this the best that I can. If you are still following me, then I am very impressed by you.

Anyway, so the results go a little something like this:

Catheter Phosphorus #1- 14.1 (This ugly number is from the first catheter draw- the one with only the 1mL of waste)
Catheter Phosphorus #2- 2.6 (This gorgeous, but low, number is from the second catheter draw- the one with 20mL of waste)
Venous Stick- 1.5 (this gorgeous, but critically low, number is from the one and only venous stick)

What does all of this mean? Dr. Bissler is STILL a GENIUS and so is SARA!!!! What this means is that for 6 months or so (I say "and so" because Dr. Ben told me to guess at how long we have been fighting this pesky phosphorus, since no one really remembers without going through his million page file). Sorry, back on track now. What this means is that for 6 months or so we have been fighting a FALSE phosphorus. What this means (because of Nurse Sara being a GENIUS) is that Max doesn't have to have venous sticks anymore, or at least until his hemo catheter comes out. What this means is that we don't have to deal with medication changes 3 times a week. What this means is that we don't have to worry about Max's vessels calcifying on us. What this means is that for the first time in, geesh FOREVER, Dr. Ben called and said, "No changes, have a great weekend!"

YAHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Who would've thought one could be so excited about a phosphorus?!?!

Also, I feel it important to let everyone know that after Nurse Sara drew that 20mL of "wasted" blood, she did give it back to him. It really wasn't "wasted." His blood is too doggone precious to just be throwing it away. So it went back into his little body and got cleaned of any and all yuck with his dialysis treatment.

Phew, I think that is it. At least I think it's enough for now. Tim tells me that he doesn't like the long post. So for those of you that agree with Tim, I apologize. If you even made it this far to see my apology. I'll make it the first thing that I write the next time in warning that it's a long one.

Enjoy your gorgeous and hot weekend everyone!!!

Sorry... I also have to announce that not next week, but the week after.... We are going down to only TWO DAYS A WEEK for hemo!!!! Oh shucks, what am I going to do with my day of NOTHING TO DO???? I don't know, but I sure am looking forward to finding out. (hopefully I didn't just jinxs that whole plan!!

Have a good one ladies and gents!