I am happy to report that I am back from a medical hiatus.
One of my goals with regard to this blog is to write at least one new post each week or so. Unfortunately, medical issues have prevented me from writing for the past two months.
On Wednesday, August 11, I entered Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) for a course of IV antibiotics (a process known as a "cleanout" in CF circles because it cleans out bacteria from one's lungs). It was my first cleanout in more than 11 years; my previous cleanout was in February of 1999. I am truly blessed to have been able to go this long without a cleanout. But I also have worked diligently to maintain my health. None of the medical personnel at MGH (doctors, nurses, etc.) could believe that it had been 11 years since my last cleanout. A number of the doctors remarked about how well I am doing for a 38-year-old with CF. But it still got me thinking about how I have battled and struggled with this disease for my entire life. I have fought (and continue to fight) "the good fight". I am the epitome of a "good soldier".
After spending the first three days in the hospital for my IV cleanout, I was discharged from MGH on Saturday, August 14, to complete the 14-day IV medications process at home. When I was admitted to MGH on the 11th, I had a "PICC" inserted in my upper right arm for the IV antibiotics. PICC stands for peripherally inserted central catheter. It is a form of intravenous access that can be used for a prolonged period of time (e.g. for extended antibiotic therapy or long chemotherapy regimens). When I returned home to continue my cleanout, visiting nurses came to attach tubing to my PICC line and to show me how to administer the IV meds myself. The tubing extended down to the palm of my right hand, thereby allowing me to administer the IV meds without assistance.
As you might imagine, having a PICC in your arm changes your life. I had to do four courses of IV antibiotics each day and was not able to go more than eight hours between treatments. And because the IV meds had to be at room temperature (they required refrigeration) for at least an hour before use, I was never able to get more than six hours or so of sleep each night. I wish I could say that I can function effectively on six hours (or fewer) of sleep a night, but I can't. I cough every day of my life, and this constant coughing (along with other hardships caused by CF) fatigues me. I typically find that I need a minimum of eight hours of sleep a night to feel well and be productive the following day. Anyway, the cleanout deprived me of necessary sleep each night (I was able to nap between IV doses, although I've never been a big napper).
Having a PICC line in your arm changes your life in other ways, too. For example, if I wanted to shower, I had to wrap the PICC and tubing in a sock sleeve and plastic wrapping and then tape everything to my arm to ensure that no water got into or around the PICC site. It was as if I had the use of only one good, working arm throughout the 14-day cleanout. Simple, everyday taks -- like applying deodorant to my underarms -- became significant challenges. It made me truly grateful for all that I am able to do when I don't have a PICC in my arm. It made me appreciate how good and easy my life normally is (e.g. not having to wrap my arm in plastic every time I shower), CF notwithstanding.
