My second week of IVs seemed to be very positive. I was able to have a few days at college and get outside. Nurse mummy was in full swing, coming over to my college to administrate my treatment for the 3pm dose. We were both very tired but it all seemed to be running smoothly.
Then Bank holiday weekend approached. As usual we go to connected the evening drip to my line, although out of nowhere blood starts pouring out. Not from the line itself but from the entry point of my arm.
Next morning, bank holiday Monday I made the trip back in hospital to see the nurses. Non of the CF team were obviously in so I got seen by a ward consultant. By this point, the sticky window covering my line has all dry blood. So I get my window changed and they flush my longline again. Thankfully it works. Not understanding why it is working then and not the night before but I was very revealed.
Monday night approaches, yet again we go to connect the drip to my line and blood starting to come out my arm. To our annoyance we suspected this was going to happen! So there we were, Tuesday morning back in hospital to get my longline looked at. My CF nurse was this time able to pull the line out slightly as he suspected a valve in my vein might have possibly got stuck at the end of the line, or that I had some inflammation. This sometimes happens when the vein starts to reject the plastic tubing and swell up. Leaving less room for the medication to be pushed up into the vein.
I was only just finishing my 2nd week of IVs and was concerned I may have needed another line fitted to keep my going till the 11th May.
This idea had seemed to of worked because Tuesday night and Wednesday morning the medication went through perfectly. However, then came the 3pm meds. This medication did not go through and by this point mum and I had had enough! I contacted the hospital and the next best option was to come in and get a cannula fitted to last me till 11th May. I wasn't happy but didn't want the course of IVs to stop so I went with the idea. That night I had my cannula fitted, did my 11pm medication at the hospital and came home. The nurses on the ward seeing me that night were reluctant to take out my longline because it was the CF teams line, therefore they didn't want to touch it. And also it was so intermittent that if my cannula packed up my longline could be a back up.
Over that weekend the cannula was very sore and blood kept clotting in the small tube. I was reluctant to let medication go through it as it was very painful. On Friday night my longline starting bleeding for the 4th time and by this point I had no faith in it.
Saturday 9th May I made the last trip over to the hospital to ask to get both the cannula and longline taken out. I had managed 2 and a half weeks of IVs, and couldn't bare to have any more complications.
I was feeling much better but wasn't where I wanted to be.
Has anyone else had these types of complications with longlines and cannulas? Please comment below
More information on longlines - http://www.rbht.nhs.uk/healthprofessionals/clinical-departments/paediatrics/childrencf/admission/venous-access/
More information on cannulas - http://www.gosh.nhs.uk/teenagers/your-condition/tests-and-treatments/intravenous-iv-cannula
Twitter - twitter.com/11nicolee
Instagram - instagram.com/nicskath_
I've had it to a very small extent and I can honestly tell you it was very painful and I literally burst into tears each time I had to have my medication. I really hope you recover and that it doesn't happen again. xx
ReplyDeleteNice to read your blog . ITS very painful to watch and i hope it will recover..
ReplyDelete