Paintball

[splattttttt]

Maybe not the answer you're looking for? But why! Has she been playing so long that her deficiency is corrupting her way of life?... I mean, what more important than her lively hood. Paintball, or life?

I seen some people in wheel chair. Casts. But intravenus apparatuses?
That's taking it a bit way too far. I think.

I do hope that what ever is aling her, will get resolved though.

Play safe!!! Have fun!! And give the other a chance too.
Peace

[Mr. Furious]

Originally Posted by splattttttt

Maybe not the answer you're looking for? But why! Has she been playing so long that her deficiency is corrupting her way of life?... I mean, what more important than her lively hood. Paintball, or life?

I seen some people in wheel chair. Casts. But intravenus apparatuses?
That's taking it a bit way too far. I think.

I do hope that what ever is aling her, will get resolved though.

Play safe!!! Have fun!! And give the other a chance too.
Peace

People on dialysis are just like anyone else. They just don't have functioning kidneys to filter poisons and waste products from their blood. Dialysis a few days a week lets a machine do that work instead of the kidneys. For the most part a dialysis patient can do anything that anyone else in their age group can in their early years of dialysis. As mentioned above, maintaining a proper fluid balance is the trickiest part of physical activity in warm weather. Since the kidneys play a big role in how much fluid is excreted vs. how much is retained it can be difficult to manage hot weather or strenuous activity but I assure you that renal failure patients do so all the time without any problems. A renal failure patient is not bedridden or disabled in any way, they just need to be more careful about some things than people with functioning kidneys.

A fistula is a surgical union of a vein and artery to allow easier access for hemodialysis it is not an "intraveinous apparatus". Once the surgical site is healed it's just a lump under the skin where the technicians put the needle. It's OK to be exposed for every day activities but a direct paintball strike could potentially damage the union or cause it to rupture. Many people have a fistula and other than the scar from the surgery you would never know to look at them. As fistulae get older the walls of the vein weaken due to the higher than normal pressures and they can get a big lump where the union is but that generally takes years. It is advisable to protect the site as the OP plans to do but other than that an arm with a fistula works just the same as one without and is no cause for concern beyond taking some measures to protect the fistula itself.

[splattttttt]

It just sounded too perilous of a chance to take for me.
Paintball's no fun once you get hurt. The risk just ain't worth it when life and limb's at stake.

[Walking_Target]

worst case scenario is the fistula gets hit, ruptures and a subdural hemotomoa forms. (blood pools around the site)

this can be hazardous, but more likely than not, a quick trip to the ER, some minor surgery and a drain later and you're fine.

if an arm guard, like the one i described, is worn, i very much doubt that a paintball could do injury. What i described is the exact setup one of the people i know who does SCA Heavy Combat, and believe me, a 3' length of rattan swung by an average man can do a heck of a lot more damage than a paintball.

[drg]

Originally Posted by splattttttt

Maybe not the answer you're looking for? But why! Has she been playing so long that her deficiency is corrupting her way of life?... I mean, what more important than her lively hood. Paintball, or life?

I seen some people in wheel chair. Casts. But intravenus apparatuses?
That's taking it a bit way too far. I think.

I do hope that what ever is aling her, will get resolved though.

Play safe!!! Have fun!! And give the other a chance too.
Peace

It's actually quite feasible as mentioned above to protect the fistula site; the fluid balance thing is far more of a risk IMO. Unfortunately chronic kidney failure isn't reversible.

[Sarvan]

I appreciate the concern for my wife's health and well being. If the Dr. doesn't give his ok, then she will not be attending (we're still waiting to hear back from him). I did do a bit of googling before posting my question, and found a couple of others who got the ok to play as long as they took precautions to protect the fistula. Unfortunately they didn't provide much detail. I had some ideas of my own, and thought that others here my have some good ideas/previous similar experiance.

This will actually be my wifes first time out. I was a little suprised myself, when she said she wanted to go. We will be watching her liquid intake, and I'm sure she will take it easy and not over do it. We also plan on informing the refs/owners/staff of her condition, so they won't be left in the dark.

I have not played at the field in question (more info/link to field: Nuclear Civil War March 16th (Central Valley, CA)), but from what I have heard about it, they take safety very seriously there. If I see any indication to the contrary, we will be packing our , asking for a refund, and leaving immediately. My wife is very dear to me, and I would not want her to attend if I thought there was a great risk involved in her playing.

Thanks again to everyone for the ideas and encouragement. I will be sure and let you all know how things go, and I'll see if I can post a picture or two of what we end up using.

[DocRock]

If you protect it properly she will be fine. My suggestion...

Two hardened arm guards that will be able to fully cover both sides of her forearm and completely circle the arm. Get them large enough that they encompass her arm without touching her arm. Get a one inch wide piece of foam from say Lowe's and line both ends of the forearm guards so that the arm guard is actually about 3/4 of an inch OFF of her forearm but still completely protects both sides of her arm.

That way the spot can still breath since there is nothing laying directly on top of the site, its hard so that way there is no risk of anything impacting through and it will completely circle the forearm so there is NO way that a ball can accidentally sneak through by hitting her arm at a bad angle.

[RealtorTommy]

How about chainmail?......with maybe bubblewrap or foam?....goodluck, I hope you find a solution...

[Walking_Target]

Originally Posted by DocRock

If you protect it properly she will be fine. My suggestion...

Two hardened arm guards that will be able to fully cover both sides of her forearm and completely circle the arm. Get them large enough that they encompass her arm without touching her arm. Get a one inch wide piece of foam from say Lowe's and line both ends of the forearm guards so that the arm guard is actually about 3/4 of an inch OFF of her forearm but still completely protects both sides of her arm.

That way the spot can still breath since there is nothing laying directly on top of the site, its hard so that way there is no risk of anything impacting through and it will completely circle the forearm so there is NO way that a ball can accidentally sneak through by hitting her arm at a bad angle.

pretty much what i suggested...

beyond that, am i the only one here who thinks 'fistula' sounds like a bad vampire porn star?

[DocRock]

fistula and orifice...just some of the words used in medicine that conjure up bad thoughts haha.