I had the PICC placed on Tuesday, and Wednesday they had to pull it out 4cm. Apparently the home health company has a requirement and though the PICC team was OK with the placement, the home health would not see me unless it was pulled out a bit. I was honestly expecting way more than what it was with the pull out. I never had them do it before. She basically did a dressing change and just pulled it out some. How ironic that THAT is my biggest fear with dressing changes. Them pulling it out haha! At least I know I won't die or have a heart attack from it now. The thing I don't like is now it sits out really far from the insertion site. That makes me nervous with cleaning it and all. I might have to ask if they can tape it, just for my own sanity, when they change the stat-lock.
Health wise I feel the same. My cough is less but as far as the lungs go....still hurt....still SOB....still tight. IVs don't combat that though. Last night I had a coughing fit and I turned the same color as my bright red tank top. P said "hmmm you sound great babe, sure you were in the hospital?" Pretty much sums it up. It's only been 5 days of IVs though so I am expecting me to feel much better by the end of the 3 weeks. Also, they have me on a different IV this time. Usually I am on Tobra and Ceftaz. This time it is Tobra and Zoysn. I haven't had any real side effects from the Zoysn except alternating liquid poo with no poo!
Also while I was in I had an overnight O2 study done. Wait what? Didn't I just have one like 2 weeks ago? Yes that is right. I DID have one done. But guess who has NO record whatsoever of having it done? Apria. Yeah bastards. Not too big of a deal getting it redone but still. How can you have NO RECORD of it AT ALL? Anyway, I de-satted below 88% a bunch of times so I had O2 delivered last night. Its a smaller concentrator than I had last time and now I have funky green tubing! No tripping over it in the middle of the night now! I am back to using 1L with sleep and still none with exercise unless I decide to start the couch to 5k plan again. Running, jogging, and inclines make my O2 plummet.
Sometime overnight while having the sleep study done, I must have slept wrong and pulled a muscle in my back. The lower back, right around where the back indents just slightly about the butt, it hurts. And I mean HURTS. I didn't even have this much pain with my hysterectomy! I could hardly move Thursday and Friday. Tylenol does diddly for me. I took 4 Motrin when I got home last night and I felt much better. But I woke up around 7am (to do my IV) and again could barely move. So I think I might be taking Motrin 3-4 times a day to keep this pain away until it works out on its own. And hopefully that is soon!
That is my update for now. I have a clinic appointment this upcoming Wednesday to see if the IVs have started to work at all. AND I am done school for the semester! Classes start again the 21st, but I have 2 weeks of blissfully nothing to do! YAY!
I put off wearing O2 for way too long. When I finally accepted the fact I needed it and starting wearing it at night I couldn't believe how much better I felt when I woke up in the mornings. It is much better for your heart too. . .don't want to overwork that heart :)
ReplyDeleteI can remember pulling muscles in my back from coughing and those are sooo painful~ I miss being able to take Motrin/Ibprofin, I swear it is a miracle drug for muscle pain.
That sounds like Sciatic nerve pain (aka Sciatica).
ReplyDeleteTry laying on the ground (preferably carpet but tile is fine, just less comfortable) with your feet and calves up on a table chair. (or a desk chair adjusted so that the back of your knees to your ankles can rest on it flat). You can put a rolled up towel (about 1-2 inches thick) to support the back of your neck if you want, but don't have to.
For you, I might suggest wearing your O2 for this "excersize".
Here's the hard part:
Now just... stay there, on your back, relaxing. Count the cracks in the ceiling or listen to music with your eyes closed...
At the very first, if I'm having a bad flare up, it hurts like the dickens (and if you give up and get up while it still hurts that bad, things lock up and feel worse), but if you make yourself stay until you relax, it really can do miracles. It was taught by my chiro & does tend to adjust things.
Stay there for 15-30 minutes (I always fall asleep and stay longer - 90 minutes is just fine).
Hope you feel better.
I looked into sciatica and it doesn't sound like the pain I have. I will try your exercise though just to see if it helps at all. Only problem is going to be getting on the floor LOL
DeleteI loved your reply to my blog post tonight :) Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your blog and your comments and words of support & encouragement. You are an amazing woman!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jamie! You too <3
DeleteThat is a very heart touching post.
ReplyDeleteI hated Apria when I had to deal with them they were a pain in the you know what!! It was a very happy day when I could call them to come pick up ALL there crap from my house! LOL Also, I do not miss the concentrator at all. I had to have it outside the bedroom when we slept because A. it sounded like darth vador was in the room with us and B. it made the room so HOT it was miserable!
ReplyDeleteI know this is an old post but I am a little behind on my blog and everyone elses blog because I have been so busy dealing with life issues! I am in the hospital right now and hope to get back to blogging once I return home! Talk to you soon! :)