The final battle begins

The last week was spent preparing for the battle... Yesterday, got the PICC line put in again. Had a smooth procedure, and the nurse was able to find the same vein healthy, and the line is back on the left hand itself. God's grace that it wasn't blocked or anything. Else I would have scars on the right hand too... ;) Please do pray that the plasters don't react too much this time, and I can smoothly use the line for the entire transplant duration.

So I’ll be admitted tomorrow, but the transplant protocol will start on Monday, 7^th April. Yes, a great day to start eh... My favourite number SEVEN... In the Bible, referred to perfection. Perfect God, the Perfect Son and the Perfect Holy Spirit... So in Jesus name, with him beside me, I start this final battle... Satan can try all he wants, but I go into battle with the Armour of God. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)
 

As mentioned earlier, I’ve opted for an autologous transplant, ie. using my own stem cells. It’s a week of high dose chemo, a day rest and then my stem cells are given to me (Its called Day 0). After this, I should be in Hospital for another 2-3 weeks, so around a month in total. After this, the first 3 months are crucial, so will need a lot of rest while the body recovers. On day 100 I have to have some immunisation, and then 1 year after day 0, some more immunisations. Basically, it's like having a fresh start, so many of the immunisations that we get as children, I'll have to get again... :)

I'm hoping that this new start, after Day 0 - will be a new LIFE for me... In all aspects... A life spent doing the right things, for the right reasons... I pray that I be more patient, more tolerant, more of good, and can do away with the bad... I pray that it will be life spent acknowledging our Almighty Lord, and declaring his works. No matter what negative numbers have been thrown at me, I believe that God has a plan for me. And as the Psalmist says in Ch118:17: I will not die, but live, and will proclaim (declare) what the Lord has done.

God Bless...

Not so free afterall...

So, the PIC line was removed last Saturday. I was glad that finally I'd be free and can use my left arm better. But guess what, I've been tied down since and its gonna be another few more days I guess...

For those who haven't read the last post, I was developing some rash and blisters due to the plastic dressing used to cover the insertion point of the PIC line. It had been in there for over 3 months, and the skin was not taking it anymore. So when the line was taken out, there was a few blisters and the skin was tender. The nurse put a cloth dressing till the PIC wound heals and said I can take it off in a day or two. I took the dressing out on Monday, and guess what - the whole upper arm was inflamed. The skin was all red, and it was all covered in blisters...!!!

Since it did not subside, they called me back to Hospital, and I spent most of Wednesday in the day unit. They were suspecting #Shingles, so I was kept in isolation and given a nice bed too... As it wasn't the usual sitting position of the day unit, I didn't mind the usual long wait. Shingles is caused by a virus similar to the chicken pox virus. It's contagious by touch, and for those who haven't had chicken pox before, it seems they develop chicken pox. So Ancy and me were a bit worried as she has never had chicken pox before.

Anyways, they took blood samples, blood cultures, swabs of the pus, etc. And finally, they decided to send me home on antibiotics for the rash, until the swab test results get back.

The skin is terribly itchy and I can't tell you how I am controlling the urge to scratch all over... :) Although the last few days have been painful and it doesn't look like subsiding any time soon, the good news is that the swab tests and blood tests were all negative (no shingles). So amidst the severe rash and uneasiness, its good to know that its not gonna be worse. Praise God...

Please do continue to pray for me, so that this allergy/rash subsides soon. I'm due for #StemCell collection next week, so need to be well by mid of next week...

PICC removed last weekend

My left arm feels relaxed now, as the PIC line has been removed. It was in there for around 3 months now and was used for the 2nd and 3rd chemo cycles. As it was in there so long, the skin around the insertion point had got really sore, with blisters forming. It was getting really itchy, so I requested the Doctor if it could be removed, as there was another few weeks before the transplant happens and they could put a new line in at that time.

Now, you ask what a PIC line is? Let’s start from the beginning of my treatment, so I can tell you about the Hickman line too... :)

When I was first diagnosed last year, I had 3 rounds of chemotherapy and all the treatment was done using whats called a Hickman line (name after one of its inventors). The #Hickman line is a central venous catheter, that is inserted on one side of your chest most, and it goes into your main vein leading to the heart. The peripherally inserted central catheter (#PICC or PIC line), on the other hand is inserted in a peripheral vein in the arm, and then advanced to a larger vein close to the heart. 

Hickman line

PIC line

Both the Hickman line and the PIC line are used for long term treatment like chemotherapy. They also serve as a means of giving #intravenous medication (like antibiotics or fluids), giving blood transfusions and they are also used for drawing blood for analysis/tests. Inserting the hickman line is a more complicated and more painful procedure, but it has a larger tube and hence has less chances of clotting and giving trouble. So there are pros and cons.

This time when I relapsed, for the first course of chemo, they did put a hickman line in. But towards the end of the treatment, it got infected and was leading to high fevers, so they decided to remove the line. This lead to the insertion of the PIC line for the first time. #God works in strange ways... You see, having the hickman line on the chest is more disturbing and uncomfortable - compared to having the line on your arm. Especially, for me it was not possible to sleep on my front! Anyways, I had to go through severe high fevers (apparently called rigors), for the Hickman line to be pulled out and then get the new PIC line in from the 2nd course of chemotherapy. It was a great relief and much easier to manage and do day to day things. I did end up getting rashes and the skin getting sore, but that might be my skin reaction to the plastic dressing which has been on for the last 3 months. I had similar reactions with the Hickman line too.

In most cases, removal of a PICC is a much simpler procedure as compared to the hickman line. And for me, it was just that. As compared to the pulling/cutting/pushing of getting the hickman line out (which I have gone through twice already), it was so much easier to get the PIC line out. The nurse simply pulled the whole line out with great ease. When the line was out there was slight bleeding, so she applied some pressure for a couple of minutes and then a sterile dressing. Hardly any pain...!

If you're faced with the need to use any of the above methods, do speak to your Doctor, don't take my experience as the only basis for your decision. Although the hickman line is more painful while inserting and removing, and it does require more care - there can be good medical reasons why they might want to use the hickman line. For me, it was an admin reason. The hospital closer to my home, where I was treated last year and had the first course of chemo this year - they only did hickman lines! Guess I should start a petition to get them to insert PIC lines too. It doesn't require an operation theatre - just a sterile room with a properly trained and qualified nurse... :)

I'll take off the dressing soon now, and be able to wash the whole left arm properly. And maybe do some exercises to strengthen the arm. They will insert a new PIC line when needed, but for now, I'm a free man...

#Psalms 107:1 - Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever...