For those of you who’ve been around since at least Post 1000, you know I have a port used for dialysis. I also have a dialysis fistula, a surgically joined artery and vein that serve the same purpose. It’s on my left arm, over the bicep muscle.

The port was installed when it became apparent last January that I had end term kidney failure. The fistula came later, and the intent was the port would come out as soon as the fistula proved its worth. That time has arrived! Tuesday morning, I go to the local hospital to have the port surgically removed, leaving me with just the fistula for dialysis.

Red for arterial blood supply; blue for venous. Two catheters hang on my chest till Tuesday.

I won’t miss the port. It frequently caused me problems. One notorious week, I got only a two hour partial session on Saturday. The port was replaced the next session (on Monday) when the dialysis technicians were unable to get it to work once again. The next day, the port didn’t work yet again and I had to have it replaced. The next day, it didn’t work yet again (!!) and they had to straighten out a twist in a catheter. And so on.

I ended up returning to have the port fixed or replaced EVERY DAY the whole week. Finally, after a week of having no dialysis but a partial one the previous Saturday, I got a two hour session on Friday. 

What happens when you go a week without dialysis? You find it harder and harder to think straight. You feel weak. You hurt. You are being poisoned with your body’s own waste!

No, I won’t miss that dang port!