I'M STILL HERE...

Just here to give a quick update on my life as a pregnant mama. I mentioned to everyone that I had a pic line inserted before coming home from the hospital so that I could stay hydrated and not end up BACK in the hospital. The pic line is usually good for 6 weeks - but mine only lasted 4 days. Why? Because it became SO painful in my arm and shoulder. The pain followed the path of the catheter (10 inches) from the bend in my elbow all the way up to my shoulder. It was so severe that I couldn't even sleep and everytime I moved it was terrible. Of course this all happened on a Saturday and so it made things a little more difficult. My visiting nurse eventually got me set up and I went to the hospital to have another pic line placed in my other arm. This one lasted about 5 days before the pain started setting in. We even tried warm compresses to hopefully help take away some of the discomfort but in the end it didn't work and because I agreed to go longer the pain was even worse this time. Again it was a Saturday and so I waited in the ER for hours as they pulled my line and put in a peripheral (regular) IV. They gave me fluids and sent me home to get through the weekend. Monday I had to have it replaced since they don't like you to go more than 72 hours with the short lines. Back to the ER to have it replaced and hopefully find a more permanent solution. In the end it was decided that I would have a port-a-cath surgically placed in my chest to help with my hydration and enteral nutrition. My surgery is set up for Thursday at noon. I'm a little anxious about it. In the meantime I still have my short line. Last night things got a little hairy because I woke up this morning to my kids gasping at me. What? They informed me that my line had pulled loose from my IV during the night. My bed was soaked with blood and IV fluid. I was a mess - but thankful that I didn't bleed out which could have been the case. I had no idea as I had been sleeping during this process. SCARY! Hopefully things will settle down after this. I have my mom up here this week which has been wonderful. She has come to my rescue.:) Nothing like a little mom help to make you feel better. She's completed a mountain load of laundry - she even washed all my pillows - cleaned my refrig, made quite a few freezer meals, took over my kids schedules, mended and altered many items of clothing, switched my children's clothing from winter to summer, cleaned their rooms (THAT was a feat in and of itself), helped with Ben, and the list goes on and on. Whew! I'm dizzy just watching her. Friday I take Ben to Dartmouth for a procedure. We'll stay over night in their PICU while he recovers so I'll do some updating at that point. Thanks for being patient with me during my absence.