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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

PICC Line Misery

I thought the PICC-line wasn't so bad ... until the freezing came out! It started to hurt a little bit after that. I took some tylenol confident that it would take the edge off. It didn't. I took two more tylenol four hours later and it only kept hurting more. Nobody told me it would hurt this much. Then again, I'm known to have a rather low pain threshold. Still, didn't I give birth to two babies ... with NO EPIDURALS??!! I tried to go to bed but was much too uncomfortable to settle, so we phoned the PICC-HELP line to see if this is normal and they told us to get back to St. Paul's emergency, which I now know is not a place I want to be at midnight on a Tuesday night. I had to avert my eyes a couple of times to prevent landing flat on my face.

The kind people there got me safe behind a curtain and checked me over, flushed my PICC-line and told me it seems to be working fine. They couldn't figure out why it was hurting so much in the couple of inches above the incision but they iced it, gave me some morphine and a sleeping pill, and sent me home with the knowledge that, at least, it's not an infection or anything I have to worry about immediately. I imagine they'll scrutinize it when I go to the cancer centre in a couple of hours.

Why, oh WHY, can't things go just normally??!! Kevin and I are both a little groggy this morning. On to chemo.

*Side note* - Last night Kevin and commented that a generation ago it would have been impossible to end up with a female doctor and three male nurses on your medical team. Interesting. They were all excellent, by the way.
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1 comment:

  1. I realy don't know why it got so painful. When we take care of new PICCs we usually use a warm compress for 24 hours, maybe that would have helped. Just a thought too when you are getting your treatments you will feel the best the week before your next round so if you are planning some vacation time this summer with family and friends, keep this in mind. I worked around xmas that way and was able to participate quite fully in the cooking etc. Also get bready for the taste buds to alter ( not permanently thank God as you won't like wine or be able to drink from a can, it just tastes foul. Like I said, remember its temporary. If I'm bumming you out let me know, its the last thing I want to do. Remember I told you I didn't like the "group" thing?. all except for a good relaxing yoga class, it helps with visualization to calm and send those fucking cancer cells packing!! I'm winning the game and so are you! Take care Anne from calgary.

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