Thursday, February 23, 2012

New news

I saw an infectious disease (ID) specialist today, and I'm looking at at least eight weeks of twice a day vancomycin by IV plus some other oral antibiotic. I go in next Wednesday to have a Hickman device inserted for the vanco IV. This medication is very harsh and can burn up the smaller peripheral veins (the ones in your arms). The Hickman is a device inserted into the jugular toward the vena cava (much bigger and tougher veins). The other good thing with this device is blood can be drawn from it to gauge my health without extra needle sticks.

Besides having IV vanco twice a day, I also see the ID every single week. If my orthopedic surgeon decides that the rod has to come out, then my eight weeks of vanco starts all over. I won't be able to call him until Monday because he's not in the office of Friday.

When we left, I went and got a chocolate Freddy's Frozen Custard. Screw my diet.

Here's a good schematic of how the device works.

2 comments:

Elizabeth McClung said...

oh crap. There is that which is both unbearable and that which must be bourne. I am sorry that you will tests the bounds of one to carry the other. Please stay strong and survive, so that we may, in whatever way, communicate again.

More than thoughts are coming to you. Hang in there.

Beth

Dawn Allenbach said...

Not surviving is out of the question, as you know all too well. In fact, I learned that from you.

Again, I apologize for the lack of communication. I've kind of drawn away from most everyone I know, which isn't good. I won't lie. I know some of it is depression. Maybe all. I'm tired of getting hit broadside. It worries me. I'm not as eloquent as you are, but I'll try to describe it in a post.