Curse or Blessing
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Doing peritoneal was a pain, but considering every time I did my exchange I was only spending 20min times 4. If I wanted to do an all day shopping trip. I would do an exchange at 430am, and then do another one around 830am. I would be finished by 900am and would be out to the mall. I would get back by 5, and then do my 3rd exchange for the day. They always stressed how important it was to keep to your exchanges. There was a time that didn’t happen. My husbands company at the time had a trip planned to ST. Thomas. He flew down a few days before I did. I flew from Indianapolis to Miami to St. Thomas. I had a 4 hour layover in Miami, so I had to do my exchange there. Now that was back in the day where I could actually carry my fluid bag with me. I could probably carry one with todays rules, but would need a doctors note stating such. I found a handicap individual bathroom, and did it there. Take my flight to the islands. When ever I traveled, I had my supplies shipped ahead of me. We were planning on staying 4 days, so I needed 4 boxes to handle my exchanges. When we arrived at the hotel, found out my supplies were not there. No panic yet. Figured they were still at the airport. So my husband and one of the other sales guys went back to get it. Once they arrived the customs area that would have took the shipment was closed because of some holiday. The problem was this was a Friday, and they were going to be closed all weekend. When I found this out I did PANIC. “I can’t go all weekend without doing any exchanges”. Well we were making plans on flying back and forth to Puerto Rico to do my exchanges at least once a day at the hospital. Well, my husbands co-worker would not give up. He was a God send. He told the airport people that I needed those boxes as it was a life or death situation. He got the door opened and I got my life support. I went 24 hours since my last exchange. Whew!!!! During peritoneal I was always advised to watch out for peritonitis. This is a serious infections that is extremely painful. Thank God I did not get this. Two months later I got that call I had been waiting for……………………….