Lots of updates for you today!
Last week, my Hickman catheter site was bleeding a bit. After a trip to the cancer clinic at Rush in Chicago, my doctor determined it needed to come out. Don't worry, the culture sample they took from the wound came out negative, so it was most likely just inflamed and irritated. That makes sense, I clean it and have to change the dressing at least once a week, sometimes more if the dressing starts to come off.
So, this Tuesday, my catheter was removed and now I have a big bandage over the hole (yes, there is a hole in my chest where the tube came out) and some stiches where they opened me up to cut out the catheter. Its a bit sore, but its a great thing to not need this tube anymore!! I was awake for the entire procedure. The surgeon gave me a few shots of local anesthesia, and that burned a bit. They cleaned the area, and he made an incision about an inch above the exit site. Then, he removed the catheter from the vein and cut away the tissue that was growing/healing/attached to the tube, cut the tube out, and removed the remaining part from the hole in my chest. Then, he sewed me up, applied some glue, and bandaged me up. I have to keep the bandage on for one week, then I can take it off and just put a regular Band-Aid on until the hole heals properly. Amazing! I'm a bit sore, but its awesome!
Yesterday, however, was my monthly check up at the clinic. Since I have completed the recommended course of chemotherapy, I had my 4th bone marrow biopsy yesterday. I see doc again in 1 1/2 weeks to discuss the results, and hopefully start maintenance therapy. I felt a bit woozy after the biopsy, but I think I will write about that in another post, I am sure there are people that want to know a bit more what happens (from the patients view) with a bone marrow biopsy. Regardless, I was a bit sore when the local wore off, and my brain was a bit fuzzy, they did numb me up pretty good. So, my parents took me home yesterday, got me some fried chicken and I slept most of the night.
I am so excited, praying I can soon resume my normal life, if I remember what normal was 9 months ago, when this all started. I am anxious, but also worried. I was prescribed physical therapy for my hip pain yesterday, so today I have to call around and get an appointment for an evaluation from a physical therapist in my area. The hip pain has been around since my second to last chemo cycle, around August. Its only one hip, and I can't tell if its a nerve, muscle, or joint pain. Its very odd. It doesn't hurt to walk, though, and that's about the extent of exercise I am currently allowed. Under no circumstances am I to go jogging or do anything like aerobics or Zumba (oh I love zumba) until I see the physical therapist. My doctors nurse told me yesterday that even though my numbers look good, I have been neutropenic on and off since February. I have been restricted in exercise and mostly sleeping and tired this entire time, so my body will take time to recover and it will be a process. I am not looking forward to this, but I am looking forward to healing even more.
Have a great day,
L
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