59) Cramps

September 26, 2006
Tuesday

El Milagro: Diane cannulated me today. I read, dozed, and woke up facing Dr. Moritz and Ron the Nurse, doing their rounds. So I said, “Well, what’s the report?” and Moritz looked at my machine and replied something like, “Good BP” and Ron added, “You’re doing good.” and they moved off to the right.

About 15 minutes before the end of my session, I started getting leg cramps unlike any I have had before. I first noticed that my left foot was bent up like I was stretching my Achilles tendon and I couldn’t point it down. Then as I was bending it down with my hand, the cramping pain came all up and down my calf. And then, before I could do anything to alleviate it, the other leg did the same thing. I called to Diane, who came over and adjusted my machine to give me more saline but the cramps continued. I’m sitting there cramping and wiggling around trying to get away from the pain and I’m thinking, “I am not going to be one of those people who moan and groan all over the place.” So, finally Herman comes over and tells Diane to stop the dialysis cause I only have 15 minutes. He gets me to stand up and that helps my legs, but then I start feeling the cold sweat and faintness coming on. “Uh… Herman, I think I’m going to faint” I mumble. “Well, sit down then…” he replies, pushing the button to check my BP… it’s 109 over 60 something (or maybe 70 something). Im feeling woozy and crampy and wishing I were somewhere else. And where ever I’m wishing I was is a place without wooze and cramps*. Herman says, “I just want you to sit here awhile. I’m stopping the saline cause I don’t want to fill you back up with liquid.” Diane de-cannulates me and I sit there trying to catch up with NOVA (which I had been watching before this whole thing started). Finally I’m feeling better after about five minutes and I actually get outa there a few minutes early.

Tonight has been one of those experiences that I’m glad I don’t have too often and it makes me more sympathetic with the folks here that have cramping more frequently than I. There is pain involved with many of these folks and we are all each other's witnesses. I am thankful that out of all the people at the center, I continue to be one of the most outwardly healthy ones. Onward through the fog!

Notes: In at 75.4 Kg. and out at 72.6Kg.
(My dry weight is supposed to be 71.5 Kg. so they must have put 1.1 Kg. of saline back in.)
*See post #33 in July for a specific discussion of cramps in hemodialysis.