DePICCed
The antithesis of BePICCed.
Here I am with Griswold making the long journey into the hospital for my dePICCing. I hadn’t gotten a single wink of sleep the night before. Not a one. I really do not like going to the hospital. It’s hard for me, and it’s harder if I have no idea what to expect. I mean, this is the first time (and I hope only time) I have ever had a PICC and I didn’t want to go in to get it removed. I did want it out, but I would have preferred to do a little time jump and be at the part where it was already out. Shrug
Before I went to get my PICC out, I had to go and have a pre-op appointment with anesthesia. And they had to do an EKG (which I assume was fine because nobody told me anything about it). I read once that EKG’s were a high profit margin test for the hospital, so now whenever they give me one (if I’m having zero symptoms) I figure it’s just to make money. Ha!
They went over all my stuff and decided I could still have my surgery. (Ofc, I wasn’t expecting a “no.”) and then it was time to go on upstairs to get my PICC out. I don’t really know why anyone reads here anymore. I assume that some of you are going through the gauntlet too, and there’s not always any information about what happens when this or that happens.
The only part which was kind of ridiculous was: nobody would let Master Pravus come back with us for this even though it’s in my chart that he has permission to stay with me: because complicated case. They said I wouldn’t need him because “It’ll be quick.” But then they put me in a room and nobody could get me out of my wheelchair because they didn’t know how my feeding tube backpack was attached. (It’s not that complicated, it’s just held on with the backpack straps) But they used that as an excuse to leave me in the chair when they had wanted me to lay down. (You’re supposed to lay down for a half hour after they remove it.) But I mean. I was fine and I lived. It’s just so stupid because my backpack isn’t that heavy but it is behind me. So I can’t do it myself. And like? They always say they can handle taking care of me, but then they can’t. Or don’t. Even when it’s something as simple as taking my backpack off of me. Honestly.
But removing the PICC line was painless. Like, the worst part was getting the tape off of it honestly. So if you need to have a PICC out and you’re reading this: it absolutely came out easily and was no big deal. I realize that’s just me saying it. Yours might suck, but it went okay for me, so I just wanted to be a voice that says: it came out and it didn’t hurt or get stuck or anything. So. Huzzah!
On the way home, I started to panic. It’s like the past three month of being with only one arm made my brain reboot. “I have so much to do when I get home!” I said to Master Pravus.
“Like what?” he asked, slightly amused. (He always tells me I make him look lazy because of everything I do. But he isn’t the least bit lazy!)
“Well, I have two arms now!”
“So can’t you just rest until your hernia surgery then? It’s not that long.”
“What? No! I was hoping I could work a little…” I started.
“Oh, well. Of course,” he said like that was obvious.
“And I have to finish organizing the library! It’s in shambles!”
“Yeah, we did say we’d get to that when you had two arms.”
“AND!” ::I took in a big puff of breath:: “I gotta figure out my Enterra device. Because I have no idea how soon I can get it replaced but feeling this sick constantly is completely awful. And I don’t even know where or when or-“
“Oh yeah, that too.”
“AND AND!” I started.
“And? Isn’t that enough for two weeks?”
“Yes. It is. But,” I said urgently, “We gotta make it so they allow you into the hospital for my surgery or I refuse to go. The last time was just unbearable without an escort.”
“Yeah. I know. We’ll do it. I’m not leaving you alone in there this time.”
So I’m home. Back to trying to solve everything and see what can be done within the confines of two weeks (or so). And I have a few personal items too. Things that I always do before any major surgery. Busy good. But also: busy scary. >.> Gonna figure it all out. But. Some of it is just dumb. (We need more doctors in my area who can handle the Enterra device!) But also also: I’m terrified of what’s going to happen to me if I stack abdominal surgeries like that. I don’t think it’ll kill me or anything. It’s more: I just started getting to the most steps I’ve ever done in a week! I’m feeling better now that my hydration is on point. I know abdominal surgery will give be harder to come back from (It took me over a year with this last one). So, I’m hoping things will go okay. I don’t look forward to the climb back up. But either way, gonna do it. Gonna.