It's Gone!

I posted the last post about our friend Broviac a few days too soon because when Brynlee woke up Tuesday morning and I went to flush her line, there was gunk oozing out from where it goes in under the skin. Oh crap! We were three days out from having this line removed, and now it wants to get infected??? So much for doing a fabulous job changing the dressing I guess. So I did what any crazy cancer mom (well, maybe not any) would do in this situation, and I changed her dressing and prayed that it would stop oozing. I made sure to clean it well with the peroxide and the betadine and just watched it carefully for the next day. Thankfully, it stopped oozing and we did not have to call or go into the hospital. It looked perhaps a little bit more red than usual, but she never had a fever, so I just hoped I had done the right thing. 

Well, we made it! Today was the big central line removal day! We were originally scheduled for 2:30 in the afternoon, but they called yesterday to move the time up to 10:30, which if you have to starve a baby for the day it is much better to only have to starve them until 10:30 rather than 2:30, so I was grateful for the earlier time. 

One last picture with her line in. 

We briefly met with Dr. Barnhart, the surgeon, and Dr. Jeffreys, the anesthesiologist, and before we knew it she was in the procedure room and asleep on the table. I only waited probably less than 5 minutes until Dr. Barnhart came out and told me that they were done and she was on her way to the recovery room. Less than 10 minutes after that they told me she was awake, and so I was able to go into recovery where she was chattering away to all of the nurses. We were able to get her to eat a little bit, and before we knew it we were on our way home. The nurses asked me what I was going to do with all of my extra time that I now have since I don't have to take care of the line. Oh, if they only knew. I replied, "Lots of therapy. Not for me, for Brynlee." And then I had to explain how we do a lot of therapy. 

Speaking of therapy, we received Brynlee's at-home e-stim machine this week at PT. Even though the therapist showed me how to use it, I am not very confident in what I am doing. This will take some learning. Oh, and I only juiced my thumb once, but I cannot guarantee it will be the last time I shock myself. It reminded me of the days at my grandparent's farm when you accidentally touch an electrical fence. We are possibly going to get some orthoses for Brynlee's feet and ankles to give her ankles some support when she is trying to stand, but otherwise we just have to keep working on strengthening those muscles. Hippotherapy is also going well, and her therapist told me last night that she was working harder than she ever had before.