What Is A PICC Line and Why Do You Get One?

These are used for a couple different reasons but the main one is for when you need long term IV treatments. The PICC lines are meant to stay in for an extended period of time so if you need something like antibiotics through an IV over the course of, say a month. Regular IV’s should be replaced within a short period of time, about ever 72-96 hours. This means constant stabbing which isn’t good for your veins as it can cause scarring and long term problems. The PICC stays in and putting treatments in is an easy change.

They’re also fantastic if, like most EDS patients, you’ve got quarrelsome veins. There’s much less of a chance of your veins collapsing and/or blowing, which means less trauma if you’ve got to have surgeries done. Some styles of PICC can also be used to take blood samples.

What Was It Like Getting One In?

I was terrified. The idea of getting something threaded through my veins while I was fully awake to go all the way to my heart and stay in my arm…I was in full panic mode from the time I heard till it was done. They told me it wasn’t going to be bad, but how could it not be?! I’m going to have a monster tube in me!!!

I can honestly say all that worry was for nothing. It was easy. Seriously. Easy to the point if I have to get a second one eventually I’m going to be mildly annoyed at best.

First, it’s a sterile procedure, so they prep you the same way they would for surgery. You strip and get dressed in a hospital gown and go into a room that is cold to reduce bacteria growth. They wash your arm with a chemical bath that just stinks like strong alcohol and is a bit on the frigid side. You are then covered with multiple sterile wraps and blankets so that only the needed part of your arm is showing. Not so bad so far, eh? I mean, it was a bit unnerving not being able to see, but that was nerves more than anything actually scary.

Second, they do the ultrasound to find your vein. If you’ve not had one before, it’s just some cold goo on your arm while a tourniquet is on and some light pressure as they roll the machine around your arm. Completely harmless.

The procedure is now ready to get started. They first inject you with lidocaine, which is a bit like getting stung by an angry bee. Not going to lie, that part sucks a tiny bit but it’s completely within bearable limits. They’ve used it on me before, so it wasn’t a shocker, just mildly annoying. Within a few seconds, they informed me they were inside the vein…which was shocking to me because I didn’t feel it going in at all, just the pressure from where they had put them from the lidocaine application.

The other part that wasn’t exactly comfortable was what they called the temporary tube. It wasn’t painful, but it was uncomfortable. It felt as if they were stretching what they were doing by using a tiny funnel or something. I didn’t like it, but as I said…it wasn’t painful. I was still able to be jovial and use some sarcasm with my lovely team. I was then informed the PICC was in, and they rolled a machine over my head to take an x-ray, noted it was in the right place, and took the temporary tube out.

This lasted for under two minutes. Seriously. From ultrasound to the temporary tube being removed. It went SUPER quick.

They gave me a quick wash with the cold stuff again and bandaged me up, took off my various wrappings, and rolled me away to be watched by a post-op nurse for 30 minutes to make sure I was okay to go home. That was it. The end. And I was looking at this:

How Is It?

It’s only been 24 hours since they released me as I’m writing this. It’s a tiny bit sore. I know I’ve got a high pain threshold, but to the point I barely notice it unless I move in such a way I’m hyperextending my elbow or turning my wrist too far.

You have to keep it dry and clean, so I had to wrap it in plastic wrap and secure it with hair bands to keep it dry. Which was annoying, but hey…not the end of the world, eh?

I can reach up, lift light things, get dressed, and do most tasks already. It’s not that bad to be honest. I even cut up a sock to make a type of sleeve to go over the little dangling port so I’m less paranoid about snagging it. Even sleeping wasn’t an issue!

I’ve got concerns about the statlock and bandage because adhesives and I are not in any way friends, but they gave me an overview of what to watch for and call my Primary Care about. So far, no issue and normally I would have had a reaction by now. Here’s hoping!

So In Short

It was so easy and simple that I’m having a bit of a hard time mentally digesting just how well it went. It went from shaking with a full panic attack to showing people with an amused smile at my new “line to change my coolant”.

I hope to update how my IV therapy goes once I get to see home health a few times and say just how the use of it actually goes.

Patience… Is not my strong suit.

I had these procedures done in mid November. The short version is they replaced a ligament with a synthetic one and stuffed a bullet shaped implant into my ankle to keep it from falling out when I stood. I’ll elaborate later when I’m confined to a bed in recovery and need something to do.

It’s now mid October. The swelling is down, stitches have mostly dissolved. Last post op appointment the surgeon said I was “Healing like a teenager” and to start walking on it.

Okay

So… He didn’t exactly say start walking on it.

I was supposed to start walking on it GRADUALLY and SLOWLY increase the amount every week. If anyone reading this thinks I followed that order, my future posts are going to be a lot of fun for you.

To elaborate, I’ve not been properly walking since this time last year. I pulled a ligament in my right ankle and it never healed enough to reliably support my weight. Sometimes it would just randomly give up and I’d have to try not to fall over. Walking boots, constant ace bandage, walking stick, cane, support boots in the middle of summer. Can you blame me for wanting to be just that little bit independent again?

I did start out slow. Walking just to the bathroom once or twice a day. That quickly escalated to walking home from work and through the house at least once an evening. Granted, work is only 150 yards away. But I don’t think going from no weight on it to what adds up to a couple hundred yards a day… Is what he meant by gradual.

So today I’m paying for it. Massaging it is fine. No extra bruising or discolorations. But it feels like I’ve got a bruise on the inside on my ankle bones. Which…I should probably expect being there’s an implant in there that they need to adapt to.

But why do it? Why ignore the doctor’s orders?

Simple. Frustration. It sounds silly. I know. And it’s a terrible reason. Trust me… I am fully aware. But I’m a woman in her mid thirties that needs help carrying food from one room to another. I need help showering. My other half has to pick out clothes because I can’t get to my closets with the walker or knee scooter I have to currently rely on. I can’t even make, let alone get my own cup of morning coffee. I have to be walked home while I’m recovering in case I fall. I haven’t been on a proper walk in AGES.

Starting to see why I could want to break free ASAP?

But the pain today tells me that if I don’t regain my patience…I won’t be able to enjoy that freedom again. That I need to slow down and let those that care for me continue to help me. It’s either that… Or face that I’m risking needing a more permanent level of care.

That’s a difficult thing to face at times.