Everyday for the next week, I'll be updating my blog with a new series titled All About. In this series of posts, my goal is to share with you more detailed insights on the various aspects of my life concerning how I live with my digestive diseases, and hopefully you'll be able to learn valuable information from my own experiences. For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been receiving TPN and lipid supplemental nutrition through my PICC line placed in my upper left arm. Twice a week at home, a nurse comes over to draw blood and do sterile dressing changes, but otherwise, I manage the administration and upkeep of the PICC. On a weekly basis, I receive mail deliveries with the supplies I need: refrigerated TPN and lipid combinations, refrigerated vitamins to add to the TPN/lipids, refrigerated saline bags, tubing, gloves, saline flush, heparin flush, alcohol swabs, etc.
Starting at 10:00 at night, I add the vitamins to the TPN/lipids, place the in the tubing into the mini IV machine, and then plug that into my PICC. It runs over 12 hours while I sleep, tapering up for the first couple hours, and tapering down for the last couple hours. Then, at 10:00 am the next day, I disconnect myself. A few hours later I’ll connect a liter saline bag to the PICC which goes in for 2 and a half hours. Then when that’s done, I’ll connect another liter saline bag. The main purpose of the PICC is to get supplemental nutrition, but I might as well get extra fluids for my POTS while I have it. Every time after I finish either the TPN/lipids or the saline, I have to first flush the PICC with saline to clear the line, and then with heparin to prevent blood clots. The main concerns with having a PICC are infection and clotting. If there is any pain, redness, or other red flags, I have to either have my nurse come over to check it, or go directly to the doctor or emergency room. Just last Tuesday, I had to go the emergency room at midnight because I was having some pain at the sight of the PICC, and there was some blood as well. The doctors weren’t too concerned with it, but they ordered an ultrasound of my vein the PICC is placed in, just to make sure that there was no blood clot. Everything was fine as expected, and I haven’t had any problems since. I also have to take my blood sugar 1 hour after the TPN/lipids start and 1 hour after they finish because the infusion raises blood sugar significantly. I just have to make sure that it doesn’t get too high after it starts or too low after it finishes. The TPN, lipids, and vitamins that go into the PICC are 100% absorbed. I’m not sure the exact calorie count that goes in, just because of the way it is formulated, but my doctor estimates it to be equivalent to 1,800 calories. I weighed myself this morning and it was 131.2 pounds: I gained just over 11 pounds since the PICC has gone in! With the PICC, I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. If I have a bad day and eat hardly anything, I don’t have to worry about losing weight. If I have a great day, I know that I’m going to gain the weight I need. I can try new foods without the possible threat of having a flare up that would prevent me from eating. The goal is to have the PICC in for about 2 months. During that time, I hope to gain back even more weight and add more new foods to my diet.
1 Comment
11/13/2022 04:10:35 pm
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