Some sweet relief

Well, it's been awhile since I posted and God has been good! At the time, we have limited internet access at home so blogging is very difficult. I am currently at the home of my personal chef making this post just to update you all quickly... no, I don't really have a chef, but Celeste has cooked for my family every weeknight for the past month while I have been trying to keep my own food down... may God bless her for that awesome gift

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So anyway, on to the update. We decided not to put in another PICC line because the vomiting was no longer out of control (meaning it was only a couple times a day as opposed to 8) and unless completely necessary, my doctor didn't see it being worth the risk. It seems to have been the right decision because we now think the 5 days I had it in allowed us to get on top of the sickness and take control. I am back on the oral meds twice a day and the Phenergan at night to help me sleep and I am doing very well. Food is staying down, I am able to drink liquids regularly throughout the day and I've even begun some more 'normal' activity. I have been warned to continue to take it slow and not jump back into my busy lifestyle too quickly, but we have been leaving the house and getting reaquainted with friends we haven't seen in over a month! I have returned to both bible study groups, very appreciative of all the love, prayers and support that came from both groups of women, and am even very thankful for the ability to do my own grovery shopping again! It's the little things, isn't it?

Logan is very happy and adjusting very well to our slow transition back to 'normal' as he has enjoyed getting to go to playgroup and even the nursery at church again. People that didn't get to see him much throughout the last month continuously comment on how much he has grown up... he is becoming very independent and mommy is loving that too!

Thanks again for all the prayers... our next appt is Tuesday March 3rd so hopefully we will have our internet working again by then and I will be back to more regular posts! Recent pics of Logan coming soon... and I've got to get some more videos on here of all his little sayings and songs! He cracks us up on a daily basis!

Oh for goodness sakes!

Alright... here it goes. So, the PICC line was put in on Monday and since then I was pretty much free of being sick. It was sore the first 24 hours, but after that I felt like I was adjusting well. On Thursday night, we awoke in the middle of the night to change my fluid bag and realized that the IV was not infusing.... the Zofran pump was still going and not beeping to signify a blockage, so we didn't think too much of it. Jeff just clamped off the fluid line and we went back to sleep to deal with it in the morning. Come Friday, the line flushed and fluid started flowing again, so we had no worries. As the day went on, I started to feel a little discomfort which progressed throughout the day, but I tried to tell myself that, "Heck, you just had the incision done a few days ago. Be tough!" Just FYI: that was the wrong thing to do!

So, before going to bed Friday night, I was using a heating pad to decrease the pain as well as taking Tylenol, but then when it came time to go to bed the IV fluid started to back up again and stopped infusing... once again, the Zofran pump was going, so that struck me as odd. Instead of calling the home health people, we decided to just sleep without the IV and deal with it in the morning when they could possibly send someone out to check on me. Again, probably a mistake, but that's hindsight for ya!

About 3:50 in the morning, I woke up in so much PAIN! I couldn't move my arm and if I even tried to rest it up on a pillow, it made me want to scream! I tried to toss and turn, walk around, and think, but by 5am I was waking up Jeff and calling into the 24hr home health nurses. The pressure in my arm was so tight, feeling like if I could just cut my arm open and release it, it would all be better (but don't worry, I didn't do that!). The nurse on call instructed me to head to the emergency room (thanks again to family for my dad coming over at that hour to be here when Logan woke up!).

So, on to the result... after 4 hours in the ER, the PICC was removed. After an ultrasound, they confirmed that there was not a blood clot present (good news!) but that something must be going wrong inside for my arm to feel the way it did... maybe on a nerve, putting stress on some tissue, who knows... they really had no idea, but keeping it in just wasn't an option... I needed some relief! As the doctor removed the catheter I almost immediately felt relief... still pain, but not the pressure... and I could move my arm freely again which was nice.

Where do we go from here? We are back to oral meds... Zofran tablets and the Phenergan (which knocks me out!). We got home from the hospital at 11:30, I ate some breakfast and slept until 6 pm! The pain is pretty much subsided, though the upper arm is pretty bruised and VERY sensitive to the touch. This is all pretty much a mystery... but I guess we'll all get our collective heads together on Monday and see what we can do next. They can put another one in, try my right arm, but if it's due to an allergy to latex (which would explain all the other prior issues with the IV sites and Zofran port trouble in my leg!) than that won't be an option. For the weekend, I'm thankful to have such a wonderful husband and the Phenergan to let me sleep the days away!

Please continue to pray for this situation... I know the outcome is worth it in the end, but I just don't think having a baby should be this hard on a mother!

Time for the PICC line

Well here is another update. My veins have been giving us a very hard time with the IV support and after careful consideration, my doctor and home health team made the decision this morning to have a PICC put into my arm for a better distribution of both IV fluids and my Zofran port. This is my last chance at any relief, so I'm truly on my last bit of prayers hoping that this can help me out. I just got home from the hospital and as the numbing agent is starting to wear off, my arm is becoming a little sore, but hopefully it won't be as invasive as all the bruising on my arms from the previous IV sites. They say this can stay in for up to 6 weeks, with the dressings being changed once a week. I'll be able to manage all the meds and fluids myself, and can hopefully figure out a schedule that my body will cooperate with that allows me to disconnect for some of the day and get out of the house with Logan... maybe be a normal mom again! I am still on a leave of absence from the Y because I cannot partake in physical activity with the PICC line in and thankfully my position is awaiting me when I get better. Thanks again to all of you who are praying for me and for all the kind notes I've been receiving... it's so good to go through something like this with family and friends by my side.

Logan came home yesterday after spending a week in Graham and I was very happy to see him. He has taken every opportunity today to hug me and tell me how much he loves me, often saying that he missed me while he was gone.... SO SWEET! This morning, though he woke a little earlier than usual, I was excited to greet him when he called for me saying, "Mommy, I excited to be home now. Come get me!" Who wouldn't be able to get out of bed after hearing that sweet thing on the monitor???