PICC Line No. 2

Here's the rest of the story of Hannah's infection, earlier in January. As it was determined that the bacteria was another multi-drug resistant one, we had to decide whether to put in another picc line and return home to finish out the IV antibiotics or to try an antibiotic that hasn't been used in about 30 years. It's an "antiquated" one that is beginning to be used again on people like Hannah who have been found to be resistant to more modern ones.

The Dr. wrote out the pros and cons of both. In the end, we decided to go with the Picc line since we had experience with it and knew it worked the previous time. The medication we would use with that would specifically target Hannah's kidney to heal it, the fosfoymcin (the old one) would address Urinary infections but not necessarily target her kidney, where this infection was. So it seemed like an easy decision: the picc line! 

The day the picc line would be placed though, her hand was starting to swell. As they put the medicine in her iv to put her to sleep, she was crying and it took awhile for her to fall asleep. Turned out that the IV had "infiltrated" and the medication (which stings anyway) was going into her hand instead of her blood stream. Ugh! This is what her hand looked like afterward. Poor girl!

I am SO, SO, SO thankful for the "Child Life Staff" that is at Randall's! The morning her picc line was to be placed, she wasn't able to eat anything and was going to have to wait until around 3pm before it would be placed. It was just tortuous to have to tell my child that she couldn't eat or drink anything when she was asking and crying for it. Oh, so hard. Enter, Child Life team. She came in with her ipad full of fun apps for Hannah to play with, asked Hannah some questions and left to get painting supplies, a game and some toys to serve as a distraction. I think it really did more for my heart than for Hannah. ;)

I loved watching her sweet little face focus on painting those bird houses. Joel had been there earlier that morning and he actually painted the little one in the picture above. Such a good Daddy! Hannah finished the ring around the bottom, apparently he had left that blank. ;)

As she was going to sleep that night, I noticed a little spot in the bend of her arm that was beginning to turn red. I told the nurse that I had forgotten to mention to the Dr that she had a reaction to the adhesive removers that were used in the fall to remove the tape holding her picc line. I didn't think they used "adhesive removers" in that spot but oh well. Maybe it was something else she was responding to. A couple times in the night, they put cortizone on it but in the morning, it looked like this. A red, itchy rash over both arms and a little on her cheek. Ugh. The arm that had the picc line was most disturbing because it was very red, warm and also swollen. A nurse the day before had instructed me in how to word things when I have concerns and I'm so glad she did! She said instead of asking, "does that look swollen?" to say, "this looks swollen to me" ...we were talking about her fingers looking swollen before she'd gone in for the picc placement. The IV was so covered I couldn't see it, so she was encouraging me to just say things that I notice in a way that I'm heard and forces nurses to take notice. (Even though the staff at Randall's is so caring and attentive anyway!)

The nurse's assistant was first to come in the room to take Hannah's vitals so I pointed it out and said, "this looks swollen to me and I'm concerned about that rash." She gasped at the sight of it and then, I think she caught herself and regained her cool posture as she called the Nurse in. Then I tried to remain cool as they talked about the concern of a blood clot in her arm and called in a Dr. as well as the Dr. who placed the Picc Line. She told me of how difficult it was to place it this time.

First they attempted the left arm, which is why that arm is also all rashy. She was having a reaction to the chlorahexadine that they used to wash her arm before the procedure. That information is now cemented in my brain and well documented in her online chart. They inserted the picc in her left arm and couldn't get it to go through the vein to her heart so they had to pull it out and start all over on the right arm.

It took 3!!! tries to get it placed correctly. She said she couldn't get it past her shoulder so they pulled it back out and tried a smaller tube which then went "through" the vein, causing it to bleed and "once it starts bleeding" she said, "you can't see what you're doing". Oh dear. I'm not sure if that is helpful information to be telling the mother of a 3 year old child, laying in her hospital bed, covered in a rash and a swollen arm that has a tube traveling through her vein to her heart. Ugh.

Thankfully, Joel was able to come and help support me as we tried to figure out what was wrong. Hannah had an ultrasound done of her arm and chest to check for any blood clot and thank the Lord, there was none. She rode in a wheelchair through the hospital and as you can see on her sweet face, she was nervous and scared about what was happening to her. Sweet girl. I can only imagine the fearful thoughts that were going through her mind, unable to know how to voice them. But she just sweetly complied with all that happened to her. Having her fun Daddy with her really helped! With no blood clot and some observation of the picc line, it was decided that she would stay one more night for observation and then hopefully head home the following day, picc line in tact.

 Joel stayed that final night at the hospital and I came home to get some rest and be with the rest of the kids. It was so sweet to be with them all again. They are all concerned about Hannah and really hurt when we're all separated. Abby misses sharing her room with her. She shared with me that she is just fearful because it "just keeps happening and she keeps having to go to the hospital." We cried together and I tried to explain why and what we're doing to try to fix it and how she can even help by encouraging her to go potty on the toilet instead of in her underwear!

The following morning, Elijah said, "Mom, if Hannah can come home tomorrow for my birthday, it will be my biggest present this year." I stopped and hugged him and he burst into tears. Oh sweet boy. He has such a hard time when our family is separated and I totally get that. I do too! She was able to come home that day, the day before his birthday and it was a sweet reunion. This picture was taken the next day, Elijah's birthday as he was heading out to school. Hannah had just woken up but we had to celebrate that, indeed, she had come home in time for his birthday. God is good and kind and loving and faithful. He sees our kids and knows their heart's desires and is showing Himself to them in these big and little parts of their lives.

Our kids. They love each other. They bug each other. They play together. They fight together. In the end, they are each other's best friends and playmates and team mates and the best gift from the Lord. Thank you, thank you Lord!