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Unread 10-10-2004, 01:46
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KarenH KarenH is offline
Mrs. ChrisH
FRC #0330 (Beach 'Bots)
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Re: CD Member in Hospital

I’m Home from the Hospital!

It’s hard to believe I spent SEVEN whole weeks in hospitals: August 20-Sept 16 at Torrance Memorial, and Sept. 16-Oct. 8 at Cedars-Sinai, one of the best hospitals in the west. And much of that time I was hooked up to one (or two) infusion pumps. (Remember who invented the infusion pump?) I spent a lot of time thinking about all the wonderful inventions used for modern medical treatments. My Cyclosporine treatment would have been impossible without the pump, because no human could have monitored the extremely slow drip rate 24/7 for two weeks.

The other really wonderful invention is the PIC line (Peripherally Inserted Central venous catheter). Normally, IV fluids are sent in through a little catheter in a shallow vein somewhere in the patient's arm. After three days or so, the vein stops being usable, and the nurse has to find another vein. Well, no one ever had trouble finding a vein in my arm, until after I'd been in the hospital a few days. Between inserting the IV in one arm, and drawing blood every day from the other, the hunt for usable veins was becoming like a safari for endangered species!

With the PIC line, however, the doctors use ultrasound and X-ray to locate a big vein deep in the upper arm. Using local anesthetic, they insert a long catheter that goes into the chest. The procedure only takes twenty minutes or so. The PIC line can have one or two ports, and it can stay in indefinitely. The patient can even wear it home. Best of all, there is NO pain, except when the tape holding the ports pulls on the skin a little (like removing a Band-aid).

I started with a single port, but needed two: one for the Cyclosporine to go in, and the other for blood to be drawn. They can't be mixed, or else a chemical reaction will throw off the blood counts. Watching the PIC line team changing from single to double ports was amazing: they ripped open packages, threw stuff on the floor, did something to my arm, and there was the new PIC line! They could easily make an episode for a reality TV show.

On the other hand, I thought of a new invention that is needed: the mobile chest X-ray units in Cedars-Sinai could sure use a computerized drive system. Every time the technician tried to position the arm of the X-ray to aim at my chest, the cart wheels would drag it back one or two degrees. It was as bad as a grocery cart! I'm thinking some kind of omni-drive would be nice... Of course, it would further drive up health care costs (--sigh--).

During my 14-day I.V. Cyclosporine treatment at Cedars-Sinai, the inflammation in my colon finally came under control. I had a hard time believing it at first, since I’d been bleeding so long. (Because my red blood cell count dropped, I had to have three transfusions altogether.)

Now I’m on three potent (and toxic) oral medications to keep my colitis under control. If all goes well, I will be tapered off two of them, and the third will be my “maintenance” drug. If all does NOT go well… let’s just say that the surgeon told me that there’s a 50-50 chance of a patient like me having a remission and requiring a total colectomy within a year after the medical treatment. After a year, the odds for not needing surgery are much better.

I’m also on half a dozen other meds and supplements to deal with the side effects of the main drugs! You should have seen the pharmacist trying to figure out the seven prescriptions last night. You also should have seen me trying to figure out what to take when, because each medication has a different dosing regimen; no two are the same! (Now I know why they use computers to track medications in the hospital.)

Monday, I return to the lab so they can test my blood levels and tweak my medications yet again. Meanwhile, I’m trying to enjoy being back home, but somehow a housewife always has trouble relaxing in her home after it’s been occupied by two “bachelors” for weeks. Robo-vation parts just don’t seem to match the living room décor.

Now for the important part: I want to say a big THANK YOU for all of you who sent e-mails, expressed your concern for me through this thread, and supported me in prayer.
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Karen Husmann
Ex Robo-widow
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