Saturday morning when I woke up, my arm felt worse. It was a little more red, swollen and more sore than the night before. After enjoying breakfast at IKEA and a quick shopping trip, Chelsea and I went back to her house to watch a movie. During that time I noticed that there was heat around the insetrion site and it looked like some puss. I tried calling the Cancer Clinic in London, but it was after hours, so we contacted a friend of Chelsea's who is a nurse. She confirmed with a doctor that it definitely sounds like an infection (although I hadn't spiked a fever yet) and that I should get to the hospital sooner than later.
I drove back to London, knowing that if I did have an infection they would want to admit me and I would rather be admitted in my own hospital. When I got home, I checked my temp - 36.4 - still no fever, but the pain was getting worse. I called the number I was given for if I have any issues with the PICC line and spoke to a nurse. She told me I would have to have a doctor look at it. Checked my temp again - 36.9 - climbing, but still no fever. I called the on call Heamotologist and told him that I think my PICC line is infected. After explaiing all of my symptoms he told me to go to emerg and that he would make some calls ahead for me.
Once in emerg, my temp was 37.1 and I was told that the Heamotology Resident would be down to see me soon. An hour later she came down and looked at my arm and said that she would probably have the PICC removed and that I would be admitted for treatment. Another 2 1/2 hours later I was admitted back upstairs in oncology. My PICC has been removed and I am on intravenious antibiotics. Not sure how long they're planning to keep me here this time, but hopefully only a coupld days.
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| Infected PICC Line |
Taking the PICC Line out
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| This is what was in my arm |
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| The hole in my arm |
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