Today TJ had his last chemotherapy treatment for his third cycle. Only one more cycle to go before his radiation treatment begins. TJ had to get blood drawn the normal way today because his PICC line had become clogged. Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident and has happened a couple of times. (Forgot to mention that in the previous blog) Fortunately the hospital has a ‘Draino’ solution called Alteplase on hand that they use to help unclog the line. It usually takes about an hour for it to work. Like anything, having a PICC line has its advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: - Chemotherapy treatment and fluids can be administered easily without the need for a tube to be inserted into the vein of your arm each time. - Can draw blood out safely and conveniently without having to deal with the pain of a needle. Disadvantages: - PICC line clasps can unclamp - PICC line can get clogged from bodily fluid - Restrictions in daily movement - Unsightly - Need to be dressed regularly - Always has to be covered to help stop infections and the clasps from unclamping - Need to cover with a shower protector to stop it from getting wet - Can get infected - Can become allergic to the PICC line components e.g: bandage, tape Personally, we really like the idea of TJ having a PICC line and he doesn’t seem to mind either. The disadvantages certainly sound off-putting but if it’s going to be less painful then being jabbed and prodded all the time then that seems like a small price to pay. In a couple of weeks time TJ will be doing another heart and lung test to see how it compares with his base line test that he did at the beginning of his journey. We expect it will be a lot easier for him this time, now that the mass in his chest has drastically reduced. He’s still not looking forward to it though! :p You are never too old for a visit from the Starlight foundation. |
AuthorHi, I'm Tj's Mum; Zoie All Blog Entries
August 2018
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