Power Picc is a done deal!

Okay, I have little pride left (which is a good thing!), but I DO HAVE A POWER PICC! They can give me chemo or take blood without having to stick me, again, if I understand it right. I don’t mind having the thing sticking out on my arm, but I hate putting such sad looking pictures on the blog. I’m not sad, but I probably am as tired as I look. Anyway, it’s how the pictures report it, so it’s what you get, today.

I really feel fine, but I didn’t get a nap today. Putting in the Power Picc was an ordeal because they had to find a vein for it! They asked me if I needed a pill to calm me down and I said, “No, I think I’m plenty relaxed.” Famous last words! I need to learn that if they ever offer me a drug to relax me I should take it! They got a vein and the catheter wouldn’t thread into it (The vein collapsed.), so they had to find ANOTHER vein and go in with yet another catheter. All the while I’m squeezing the bed rail with all my might. After they finally got one threaded they told me what a strong woman I am; I asked, “Why, did I bend the bed rail?” So much for joking. Then they sent me for a chest X-ray to be sure the catheter was pointing in the right direction (toward my heart). It WASN’T! It had gone up my neck, so they had to do a power flush while I held my arm up and bent over with my head in my lap to make the catheter turn around and go down instead of up my neck. I didn’t even know I could get into that position! At least they didn’t have to stick me again! They sent me back to X-ray and the trick had worked, so I am the proud wearer of a Power Picc going the right direction, now! Whew.

Since the installation of the Power Picc took so long, I missed the chemo class, but they said if I read the book, I could be excused. Good deal. We already read the book. I did make my echocardiogram appointment and that went pretty well. It was more brutal than I expected because he had to push really hard on the left breast to get what he needed around the heart. I was so thanking God that the cancer is in my right breast because if he’d needed to push on my sore breast he would have had to sedate me. I didn’t have the energy to bend another bed rail! After he got off the top of my breast and was pushing around below it, it was interesting because I could quit grimacing and watch the ultra sound screen. He said my heart looked good and explained a lot of stuff as he went along; most of it went over my head and I’ll forget it, but it was interesting. The main purpose of this echocardiogram was to get a base for comparison as I go through the chemo because one of the side effects of the chemo is that it could damage the heart. God is in control of all this; I’m not worried about the heart or the cancer. If it’s time for me to meet my Maker, then I’m ready, but I believe He still has work and training for me here. This is all part of my training.

Don, Doris and Jerry have gone to church, but I stayed home to rest. Rest is good and I didn’t get a nap today; if I sat still for an hour in church I would surely go to sleep. We walked around the hospital a lot, so I did get some exercise. My arm is very sore; thank goodness my breast that had the biopsy is lots better and not so sore. I know there are lots worse things, so I’ve got to quit whining. We walked yesterday and a couple of huge dogs came running and growling like they were going to eat us alive. I almost climbed up onto Don’s shoulders! They stopped right at their gate, though! If they hadn’t stopped, then their attack would have been a lot worse than this ordeal today. God is so good; He knows I’m not up for a dog attack! (I was attacked 3 times my junior year in high school by a German shepherd [3 stitches], a pit bull dog, and a collie, so I lapse into terror when a dog runs at me growling and barking.)

A new blessing to count: the Power Picc! I hope you’re counting with me. I’ve lost track of the number, but I know it’s BIG because there are so many blessings for which to thank our Father. (That’s another one; we share the same awesome Father!)