Now that you have your vascular access--which is how your blood will flow in and out of your body during dialysis--you can do some things at home to care for yourself.
At first, you can expect to have some soreness, bruising, and mild swelling in your arm.
It will get better in a few days.
Your care team will teach you how to take care of the access.
Follow any instructions you were given about activity, diet, or medicines.
There are a few things you can do to heal sooner and avoid problems.
First, keep swelling down by propping your arm on 1 or 2 pillows.
Be sure your elbow is straight.
Putting ice or a cold pack on the site for short periods of time can help with pain and swelling.
Be sure to put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
To help with pain, your doctor may prescribe medicines.
Take them exactly as prescribed.
Do not take ibuprofen (like Advil or Motrin) or naproxen (like Aleve) unless your doctor tells you to.
If your doctor says it's okay to shower, cover the area with a plastic bag to keep it dry.
Don't lift anything heavy, like grocery bags, kids, or a backpack.
Your doctor can tell you when it's okay to do these things again.
You'll have a few "to-dos," like checking your access for a pulse or thrill [HEART MONITOR BEEPS] in the fistula or graft area.
A thrill is a vibration.
To feel a pulse or thrill, place the first two fingers of your hand over the access.
This lets you know how well your blood is flowing.
When it's quiet, such as just before bed, you may also hear a humming coming from the access.
[WHOOSHING] This is a normal sign that blood is flowing well.
Something else you'll need to do a lot, several times a day, is to squeeze a ball or a similar object for several minutes at a time.
This will help blood flow through the access and help prevent blood clots.
Now, here are some things to watch for: Call your doctor if you don't feel a pulse or the thrill in your access during your daily checks.
And call if you have signs of an infection: Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness...
red streaks leading from the incision...
pus draining from the incision...
or a fever.
Remember to go to your follow-up appointments so your care team can check to see how you're healing.
Now, everybody heals at their own pace.
Take care of yourself.
So when it's time, you will be ready for dialysis.
All of this may seem like a lot to do, but all of these things are important because they can help you heal and stay out of the hospital.
