Wednesday 31 August 2011

PICC calendar


crabapples

"Crap apples! Crap apples!" I used to call whenever I see them. And then the older one would laugh so hard he staggers and can't speak. I had a chance to do it again :-)
There is a lot crab apples trees in Ottawa. I mean a lot! Beautifully covered with flowers in spring and heavy under the colorful fruits in fall. Last warm touches before long winter. Something I can smile today even with all the crap.
Hopefully to set everything right is so difficult and later routine will be much smoother.

And there is the calendar with all possibilities what may happen.

  • Aug 26 morning, PICC procedure: reaction to transpore - latex-free, hypoallergenic, transparent and perforated (for breathing) plastic surgical tape. I get the piece of regular picc dressing  to test on my free arm.
  • Aug 27 afternoon, change of hospital dressing for the one I was testing, as there were no reaction on left arm.
  • Aug 28 evening, my arm is burning. This is the reaction to burn net dressing (what a coincidence!) the nurse generously gave to me; red rush.
  • Aug 29 morning, I woke up with small open wound. They let me test the dressing, but not the orange edge with glue. Just the inside. Hurray!
  • Aug 30 morning, Another blister. Obviously when I'm sleeping I'm not aware of protecting band slipping down and slightly rolling of the dressing. I had to use bandage to secure the plastic end as I had a feeling I'll tear out everything any minute.

my scab and blister

  • Aug 31 noon, The nurses coordinator offered someone will come. I called to ask WHEN will someone come for the following visit, as it can't be the same day as chemo, and no one called me yet. No need to treat this as emergency as I was in the hospital anyway. They changed wounds causing dressing using a lot of gaze and paper tape, gave one more to try for future together with information that they still have more options left LOL  The nurse was using bare hands even everything else was sterile. She said she washed them, I answered not to worry, if she causes infection I'll be happy to go to remove the picc! LOL
It wasn't bad day. I was recognized by my surgeon, I'm not just a number, and also met nurse training all chemo and radiotherapy nurses in biggest Ottawa hospital. She advised me to ask for special cream to protect my skin. I've got information for fantastic ('ve seen the pictures) wigs at very, very good prices.
Not bad. Huh?
They also liked my DIY picc dressing protecting dressing :-) I made using 100% cotton sock.
I'll share the information, but now I'm already sleeping.

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