PICC Put In Today

First of, I couldn't have done today without being accompanied by one of my bestest friends who took all day to "hang out" with me.  There wouldn't have been calmness without her there.
We took the girls to VBS and "dropped them off" (I still hate saying that) and headed to Park Plaza Hospital for the procedure.  I made it out of the house this morning with everything on my list done or in my possession.....everything except the address and directions to where we needed to go.  Gotta love Lyme!  Of course, yesterday I called to varify, check, get more information on the appointment today and they called me back this morning at 7:41 saying they wanted me there at 9:30...yah, wasn't going to happen. I had preregistered over the phone so I was hoping we were good. We got to the hospital, me and my turned around brain and my bestest friend, a little after 10 (can I just say for the record...I hate parking garages).  From the moment we stepped foot into the hospital till the moment we pulled out of the parking garage, our experience was nothing but positive. The best way I can put it is everyone we encountered loves their job..if you know what I am saying.  The procedure was explained and I was allowed to ask questions and see the PICC (its purple...I think..and really long with two tails...thats what they call it).  I was told I would want a "power PICC" and thats exactly what I got (it hasn't helped with the energy level yet :-)  ) I was escorted to a surgical room but didn't have get into a fashionable gown. It was weird. I was asked if I had a preference of arms and I spoke right up and said left arm.  They spend more time preping me and the room then the time the actual procedure took.  I am completely covered in sterile towels and blankets, with a heater blowing underneath between my feet. :)  They put on their heavy duty x-ray gear with a sterile gown and gloves over it and waited for the doctor. He came in and put at least 3 shots of local anesthetic in and started doing something else and said, "ouch". He asked if I could feel that...um, yeah! So he did 2 more shots to numb it. Didn't feel a thing after those 2. Within 10 minutes he was done and out the room and, again, they spent more time cleaning up and uncovering me then the time the actual procedure took.  They used x-ray and ulrasound to guide the catheter in.  It goes in my upper left arm above the elbow and goes almost to the heart.  It is made to last a year (I still don't get why we didn't do this to begin with) with very little limitations. I can't swim (his words) or get it wet (so we will have to go back to cling wrap for showers) but I can use the arm, lift the arm above my head, bed the arm. I asked if I can lift my children and was told yes. YIPPEE!!  I can braid their hair and do things I couldn't do with the midline or the peripherals.   They can also draw blood for lab work from the PICC so no more needle sticks (hopefully) for a whileThe nurse at Quality Infusion cautioned me and said they still don't want me to do a lot of repetitive motions...I'm not supposed to paint ceilings or any other building type stuff.  Um, okay. No problem. Don't have the energy anyway.  I am happy if I get to do my own laundry and dishes and do my girls hair.
We left the hospital and headed to Quality Infusion for the first dose of Cefotaxime in the PICC and pick up supplies.  We were there quite a while while orders got changed and things worked out and payment given (ouch!) and first dose administered.  At first we were told we would be doing 2 infusions a day but I just so happened to ask if we could possibly combine them into one and it was approved (and the ordered changed). Unfortunately, it didn't change the price any :(. First dose went in taking a little over an hour and we were out the door headed to grab lunch and head to Becka's gymnastics where Daddy dropped her off.
When I stepped out of the car my heart went into  one of its episodes and it caught me off guard. I haven't had a heart episode like this in years.  I have had difficulties with my heart in the past which we now know believe falls under the light green colored umbrella.  I was diagnosed as having a regurgitative heart valve (aka leaky valve) and it causes episodes where it feels like it skips a beat or it goes into what we call "turbo mode" but usually only lasts about 30 seconds. So, we started walking into the building and I figured it would kick back into its regular slow self by the time we got inside. But it didn't. I grabbed my phone to check the time to time this episode.  Once inside I started drinking my cold water to see if that would help and it didn't. I ate my sandwich but was very uncomfortable with this thing in my chest beating out of control. It was beating so fast and vigorous that it moved my body. Its difficult to count because its so fast and irregular.  At one time I tracked it at 175 and then 164. After 20 minutes of continuous rapid heart (unerstatement) I called Chris to get his take. I didn't want to call Quality Infusion in fear that they would send me to the ER or yank the IV med from me. Neither of those did I want. I just wanted it to kick back to slow mo!  I had tried slouching down in my chair and putting my feet up on the wall knowing I looked like the most ill mannered adult in the room.  After 35 minutes of continuous racing I got on the floor, layed on my back and put my feet straight up on the wall.  I looked rediculous but I needed to do something or call Quality Infusion.  After 15 minutes like this it went really irregular as if it was trying to find it normal pace and then it slowed to 126 and eventually leveled out at 102 and stayed there. My resting heart rate is usually in the 60's, never above 75. I was tired of being on the floor looking weird so I got up but my chest felt like I had ran a marathon only I don't remember my legs moving.  Its has stayed stable the rest of the evening with a couple moments where it felt it was about to kick back to turbo. I am nervous to see what happens with tomorrows dose.  My fear is that it will be the medicine and we will have put in a PICC for nothing. Keep in mind we are using medicine we had left from doing injections.  Insurance will most likely not approve any more IV medicine. But, it will be what it will be.  God has it all "figured" out. I'm just on for the ride.
I go back tomorrow for a dressing change and then will go in once a week for dressing changes.  It is sore tonight. It has been weird today since they put it in. There is a white "sock" on that arm to keep the "tails" from catching on things and from flopping around. I don't know if its the sock or the feeling of an IV there but I have to keep reminding myself that I can move and use that arm.  For 3 months I couldn't use the arm with the IV.  Now I can and yet I find myself babying it by not using it. It will take some getting used to.
The girls have had a blast all week at VBS and they have a program tomorrow night.  Short of a gallbladder busting or a heart peeling out I will be there ready to hear their gorgeous voices sing praises to God.  He is good, all the time!!!  And I thank Him for always having my back and for being in control of things and already having everything "figured" out so I don't have to :)  Goin' with the flow, whether it feels "normal" or kicks into turbo speed.