PICC Line is OUT!!!!!

My PICC line came out Tuesday!  WOO HOO!!! The only thing that hurt was taking off the butterfly clips...  I swear it's made from superglue.  It was a great moment..  It meant I was done with the daily infusions and this part of my treatment. From here I will be on Doxycycline twice a day for a test trial of about a month.  Today is Friday and I have not started it yet.  I am half afraid to and half cannot purchase it yet.  I will tomorrow.  A 15 day supply is $80.10.  How exciting.  Who knows how long I will be on this antibiotic.  Only time will tell.  

Pulling the line out!

Here is a link if you want to see the second half of the line being removed.  There was very little blood.  It looked more like it was dirty than anything!!

CLICK Here for My PICC Line Removal VIDEO

My girl, Megan, holding what used to be in my body...  Crazy!

I still cannot believe that this catheter when from the large vein in my upper arm, through the Subclavian Vein and stopped just above the Superior Vena Cava.

Taaa Daaaahhh!!!  All gone!

Once they pulled the line out of me I was given my certificate of completion and a Mickey Mouse dance...  I "graduated" in the infusion room and everyone cheered for me!  WOO HOO!!!  I think they were a bit jealous, though. 

I was so glad to have it out and to know that I would be able to take a normal shower again.  No more dangling tails.  No more rashes.  No more blisters under band-aid covers getting ripped off and alcohol rubbed on them.  No more alcohol scrubbing sticks being rubbed at the site trying to remove dried blood out.  No more saran wrapped arms and no more medical tape being ripped off the skin of ends of said saran wrapped arm.  No more flushing lines.  No more careful cuddles with kids so they don't hurt the site.  No more laying a certain way so my line does not tickle my heart and make it flutter.  No more limitations on things like vacuuming, laundry, and lifting anything over 10 lbs.  I'M FREE!!!!!!!

I will be back in two weeks for a check up and will need to do another C. Diff test again since I am still having problems with that.  C. Diff. explained  (It's pretty much the bad bacteria taking over in your intestines.  After the course of antibiotics taken has destroyed the good bacteria it allows the bad bacteria like C. Diff take over.  It's deadly if not treated.  Thankfully they have test for it and we are on top of things.

This week has been weird.  I was so excited and overdoing it with bounds of energy.  Then yesterday hit me.  I was in so much pain and completely fatigue.  I managed to drag myself around the kids school for open house visiting 8 teachers.  Then I came home and crashed.  This morning isn't any better.  I have slept most of the day away.  

Tomorrw morning I will be starting my new antibiotics and will start herxing again.  I'm not really looking forward to it but know that I need to continue this in order to get better for longer.  It still stinks knowing I will have to do this every few years...  For the rest of my life...  Until there is a cure.  

I think I should change my middle name to Per.

Melissa Per Severance

GET IT??!!

Ha ha, I crack myself up!  I will HAVE to take this name on and have perseverance. I will need to attack this nasty bacteria and never let it get the best of me.  One year at our church's girls camp I was nick named Sister Severe.  I think that applies here as well.  I cannot tell you how hard it is to keep going.  For months I kept up this front about being strong and fighting this.  

Now after learning of another patient of Dr. Shah, who was in remission of Lyme, had her Lyme come back...  I felt the weight of knowing this won't be the only time I will have to do this has set in.  The thought of having another PICC line someday or even a Central Catheter...  Of going on another round of antibiotic treatments.  Of Herxing all over again...  I was upset thinking all about it.  Every day taking pills upon pills to keep my body going in between.  Of having to manage in between treatments.  I really shut down thinking about it.

BUT...  Let's not dwell on that!  I am alive and if one day I woke up with no pain I would think I was dead!  So every day I find one goal to accomplish and if I do then it is a success.  One goal out of the norm.  Like today I'm doing the dishes, or cleaning one bathroom, or making dinner, or writing in my blog.  Yesterday I actually accomplished a lot!  I am paying for it today but that's ok.  I have no where to go!

I know I that I still have a lot to endure and I will learn great things from it.  I am thankful I am not alone in my journey.  I am thankful I have a great support system, for it would be very difficult to want to go on some days.  Thank you...  You know who you are!