Just as everything was going smoothly I was hit by an infection it hit me in the form of sleep and to be honest the only signs I noticed were sleepiness. I took to my bed on Friday the 13th and slept, and slept and slept. Then on Wednesday the district nurses came out to flush my PICC line and once again they ran into difficult it was Martin that came out to see me and after half an hour we both decided enough was enough and that I should make the journey to ST James's. Martin however, asked me to get them to do a full blood count as well suggested I may be anaemic. Off we headed to St James's I asked for Andrea and we sat and waited for a good twenty minutes before she called me in.
"I'm so sorry Loraine, its hectic here today" she apologised showing me to a bay. "So your PICC line is playing up again??"
"Yep" I replied.
"I thought you'd finished treatment"
"That's the thing I have, however its pending the results of my CT scan and that's not due until Friday"
"Ah, so we could take it out then?"
"Potentially yes, however results are on the 24th".
"Ah, so we better wait then?"
"Well yes and no if its not working then there's no point in it being in, is there?"
"Right well let me see if it will flush". As she disappeared to sort her trolley out Virgil one of the pre-assessment doctors that I have got to know pretty well appeared.
"Hello, Loraine how are you today?"
"Not too good Virgil" I replied. "I've been really tired since Chemotherapy"
"When was your last session Loraine?"
"4th April" I replied. "I should be rallying round by now"
"Mm" he looked at me a thoughtful look on his face. "Is there any more treatment planned?"
"I have a CT scan booked on Friday Virgil, then I see Dr Jagdev on Tuesday for the results and then I will know if there is any more treatment".
"Ah I see... okay. So you are here today because?"
"PICC line wouldn't flush AGAIN" I rolled my eyes and Virgil laughed.
"You're PICC line it is very.. how do I say.. tempestuous"
"Mm you could call it that."
"So the way you are feeling, this tiredness this is a sudden thing?"
"Just since Friday" I replied. "The district nurse who called today said he thinks I may be anaemic and I should get a full blood count down... can you do that here?"
"Yes I think that is a very good idea I will ask Andrea to do this for you" Virgil replied. At that point she re-appeared".
"I think when you flush the line you should do a full blood count on Loraine here" he suggested.
"Okay" she smiled and nodded and began setting up to try and flush my line. "Mm there is quite a bit of resistance there again Loraine" she told me. However the line began to flush "did the dressing get changed Loraine?"
"Yep but I noticed my line seems to be hanging further out of my arm than normal".
"Mm it is isn't it. Virgil?"
"Yes my dear" he replied a grin on his face.
"Loraine's line seems to be further out of her arm than normal do you think I should maybe do a chest x-ray check its in the right place? And, if its not then we could potentially take her line out. It would be no use anyway for further treatment, do you agree?"
"Yes, I will do you and x-ray card for Loraine now".
"Thanks Virgil" Andrea looked at me at that point, Loraine I'm really sorry but your PICC line isn't bleeding back I'm going to have to try and take it from your vein".
"Oh god" I whinged, my veins are horrendously bad hence the reason for the PICC line.
"I'll be gentle I promise" she looked at me a sympathetic look on her face.
"Just do me a favour and try this one in my right arm first" I asked pointing it out. "Its the best vein I have although occasionally it does move a little, but please try".
"Okay Loraine lets give it a go" I looked over at Lee who smiled at me and held eye contact with him... "Okay Loraine sharp scratch" I bit my lip as Lee smiled at me. I swore silently under my breath Fu....fu....fu....fu.....ck!" Lee lent across and held my hand.
"You okay?" He mouthed silently. I nodded....trying hard to smile...
"It hurts" I replied. I gritted my teeth all my veins felt sensitive these days
"Okay all done"
"Really? What you actually got blood?" Andrea smiled and nodded "I'm impressed" I smiled. "Right so next step I need you to go down to x-ray" Andrea told me "As soon as its done come back up and find me and we will see if its in the right place".
"For the first time ever I'm hoping it isn't in the right place then I can have the damn thing taken out... I sooo want a bath" I told her and she laughed.
"I'll keep my fingers crossed for you come back and find me after you've been to x-ray and I'll find out whats going on".
"Okay" I grabbed my coat and the x-ray card and grabbed Lee's hand and we headed down to x-ray. It was really busy when I gave over my details downstairs in x-ray, the seating area was packed full of people. "Looks like we may be waiting a while" I said smiling at Lee.
"Well we haven't got anything else to do" Lee smiled back at me and gave me a hug.
"Loraine McEvoy?"
"Maybe we won't be waiting that long after all" Lee murmured. We headed up the corridor to the changing room.
"Right Loraine if you go in there please take off everything on your top half and put a gown on, that includes your chain"
"Okay".
"Then if you come out and take a seat we will call you in".
"Okay" i waited for the door to close then locked it. Turning round the smell hit me a very strong smell of B.O. it was so strong ugh I actually felt sick. I have never got into a gown so fast in my life I actually left the changing room with the strings still unfastened holding my gown at the back thank god I could keep my jeans on. Lee was sitting on a chair outside. "Can you tie this for me?" I asked turning around.
"Of course I can turn around" Lee had just tied the strings at my neck when the radiographer called me in.. "Loraine McEvoy?"
"Yep" I replied.
"Come on in" I entered the x-ray room. "Right Loraine if you stand with your chest pressed up against the screen rest your chin on top", I did as I was told. "Now, if you put your arms round the back and grip hold of the handles. That's it, okay Loraine shortly I'll ask you to take a deep breath, hold it and breathe away".
"Okay". The radiographer disappeared behind the screen. "Right Loraine, take a deep breath in," I did, "hold your breath" I did, "now breathe away". There was a pause... "right Loraine that's it you are all done the results will be on computer when you get upstairs. You can go get changed now love".
"Thanks" I left the room and went to get changed back into my clothes in the changing room which again I did in record time because the changing room still stunk. This time I managed to get my handbag off of Lee though and sprayed mountains of the stuff around the changing room at least the next person in wouldn't have to feel sick due to the BO smell. I left the changing room still hopeful that maybe the PICC line could come out. Lee stood waiting for me.
"All done, back up we trot hope those fingers have been crossed then maybe I can get this out tonight". I grabbed Lee's hand and we headed out of the x-ray department and headed back upstairs to Oncology.
"You okay? You've gone a bit pale?" Lee asked as we were halfway up the stairs in the main entrance.
"Knackered, its just hit me" I told him and grabbed his arm "I feel a bit dizzy too" Lee put his arm around me to steady me.
"Just stop for a minute" I did as I was told and took a couple of deep breaths.
"Its okay I'm okay I'll just take it slow this time" slowly we began climbing the stairs again. I felt so drained. We headed towards oncology and sat in the waiting room, it was then I caught a glimpse of Andrea in the bay where we had been before we left for x-ray I waved to her and she beckoned us through. "Okay if you take a seat Loraine I'll go find a doctor to look at your results Virgil's left for the day".
"Alright thanks" I took a seat and Lee announced he was going to go outside for a cigarette. I laid back in the chair... I felt so tired. I must have nodded off and half an hour later it was Lee that woke me.
"You okay?"
"Yep just tired" I replied.
"Loraine the x-ray shows that the PICC line has moved slightly" Andrea announced "but its not enough to warrant it taking out it should still flush okay".
"Right".
"I'll send your bloods off the results should be back tomorrow if you want to give us a ring for them".
"Okay thanks".
"Right off we go then" Lee pulled me out of the chair. "When we get home I think you should go for a lie down".
"Okay. I won't disagree I feel like shit". I replied. "Bye Andrea, I hope not to see you again any time soon and I mean that in the nicest possible way".
"I know what you mean I hope you get your PICC line taken out soon" I smiled and she smiled back. Then lee and I headed outside to the car park and for home. I must have fallen asleep again on the way home because when I next opened my eyes we were on the driveway. I did exactly as Lee said and made my way straight upstairs to lie down.
I awoke around seven at night and headed downstairs to spend some time with Lee. "You should have woke me its late" I told him.
"You were tired so I left you to sleep" Lee replied.
"Yep true". I sat down and tried hard to concentrate on the TV but in all honesty I couldn't concentrate it just wasn't happening I was just too tired. It was only a couple of hours later that I ended up back in bed.
I started vomiting around eleven o'clock that night and it was constant ...every time I took a drink or a painkiller I was sick. Lee rubbed my back consistently throughout the night and got up to warm up wheat bags in the microwave to ease the pain for me. I was so lucky to have him, I must have drifted off in the early hours of the morning because I woke startled as Felix pounced under the covers next to me as daylight shone through the gap in the curtains.
"What the...?" I jumped then realised the reason behind the fact that the cat was sharing my bed.. the window cleaners were at the window.... I have no idea why but my cat is terrified of two things... window cleaners and bin men and every time either one arrives he runs round like a lunatic. However, this was the first time he'd dived bombed under the covers on the bed giving me the fright of my life. I shouted out for Lee but there was on answer... slowly I pulled myself out of bed... god my stomach hurt. I sat on the bed for a good five minutes then the door knocked loudly... I knew it was the window cleaners but there was no way I could run downstairs and answer the door so I left it until they had gone and then slowly made my way downstairs and onto the settee. God I felt rough.....
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