‘MUM! I PULLED MY LINE, RIPPING OFF MY SHIRT, AND THE NEEDLE IS HALF HANGING OUT IF MY CHEST!’
My usually very cool and calm teen was, quite rightly, a little freaked. I jumped in the car to get home, only for him to call quite calmly two minutes later to say the needle had dropped right out. On reaching home, thankfully his port area looked pretty unharmed.
The next day we had to head into hospital to be re-accessed, meaning the needle being put back into an already sore port site (I am half-trained to do this, but have not yet done). We have to do this to administer the final line flush he needs at the end of every course of IV antibiotics, to keep the line from blocking. Despite the accidental ripping out, and being re-poked the exact area the next day, he did not complain once.
Isaac went into this course of IVs feeling pretty well (but needing them to keep his infections at bay and set him up for a better winter) and unfortunately, his post IV lung function tests show a dip in his lung function by the end. It shouldn’t be this way round. But we suspect this is because everything is all stirred up right now, and with some extra physio, we can clear some mucous out, and then he will see the benefits. Dan has also had his long awaited knee surgery and is doing super well.
To give children with serious illnesses a gift please follow this link to buy gifts that will delivered direct by the wonderful Starlight charity for distribution in hospitals this Christmas. Some in the wish list are just a pound of two, but every gift makes a difference.
Some dear friends of ours are going through the unimaginable right now, which is always immensely perspective making. Too young, too colourful, too soon, too sad. Hug your loved ones tightly x
