Coming home: Take II

Four days after the wound vac came on (two changes later) my nurse was pep talking me about leaving and coming home.

I am not going to say I was jumping for joy at the thought. Sure, it had been a long haul, Mom, J and I had already spent 10 days in the hospital this time. One small room for four people. I was torn because on one hand I desperately wanted to come home, get into a routine and rest on my own terms. I wanted to be able to bond with my baby, she was constantly being passed from person to person. I mean needed the help but at the same time I wanted to feel like I could care for her too. I also missed my dogs like crazy and the way I left them the night I went into the ER was so rushed. I was feeling guilty that I had scolded Ladybug for licking my belly, when in fact she was trying to help get rid of the infection (she's so smart!).

On the other hand, I still felt weak, sick, in pain and overwhelmed. I didn't want to go home until I was sure I wasn't get worse like I did the first time. I was gunshy, I didn't really trust the word of the doctors anymore and I wanted reassurance. No one knows my body better than me.

In the end we got to be discharged on a Tuesday, with a hospital bed being delivered to the house, meals at the house, my mom staying with us and my Aunt coming the following week. I knew I needed alot of help, it was more than J and I could handle with the baby and me.

So what had to happen when I came home?
Dr. Lee my infectious disease doctor wanted me to have an IV at home for antibiotics, I didn't think too much of it because I figured if I could do insulin I could do an IV. A pik nurse came in and put the line in.

I was sedated and the nurse inserted the catheter in by my elbow. I couldn't really feel it but I knew it was happening. She pushed it up the vein in my arm to my heart. She actually pushed it alittle too far into my heart and it fluttered, that was freaky! She adjusted it and it actually felt so much better than having a regular IV in which at that point was in my hand. Also, I couldn't feel the antibiotics burning in my arm anymore because the vein is bigger that the pik line is in.

I also got a smaller wound vac to take home. I had to proved I could get up walk around and manage my wound vac and pik line. Not that I really wanted to go home...

The last hurdle was J had to learn how to infuse my pik line 1x a day. I didn't think it would be too hard but it was freaky having to make sure air didn't get into the line ugh.

The VNA was set up to come to the house and help with the infusions and change my wound vac.

When it came time to come home I at least felt better about the help we were set up with going home. We had my mom, J, wound care and the VNA.

So, I allowed myself to be discharged the next day and we headed home again......