Update on Tyler & his staph infection

The nurse had to come out twice this week to change Tyler's picc line dressing. He has a terrible rash and itches at it day and night. During the night he itches at it so much, that it comes loose. Last night he cried out because it was almost falling off and freaking him out, seeing this thing hanging loosely on his arm. "I don't like this picc line" he said, "I want it all done." I wrapped it as best I could for the night and waited for the nurse to come again today, for the 3rd time this week.



Early yesterday morning I got a call from the nurse. She said that his white blood cell count was very low and they were concerned with him getting an infection of any sort because he has nothing to fight off bacteria with. We were to stop administering antibiotics immediately and they would be coming by within the next few hours to REMOVE HIS PICC LINE!!!! I breathed again after she said that. Up until that moment I was holding my breath, just waiting for her to tell us some bad news. I was in total shock!!!! No more meds? No more picc line? Today?

Two thumbs up after I told Tyler his picc line will be removed!!

The nurse came by around 1:30 and we sat around the kitchen table, Tyler bravely sitting on my lap. He was scared because he thought it would "sting"(alcohol) and be a "pinch", (a shot). She removed the bandage and in less then 5 seconds it was out!! With a gentle tug a long, thin, tiny rope that looked like a single piece of spaghetti came out of my sons arm and was lying on my table! The spaghetti life line. He didn't even feel it coming out. So polar opposite to it's insertion....being sedated, one hour of intense waiting, watching him awaken, learning all the ropes about "our fourth child", (which it was nicknamed here in our home). Even as I type I can hardly believe that we don't have to remember to have the antibiotic syringe out of the refrigerator at least one hour before administering it. We don't have to keep an eye on the clock watching carefully for 12pm, 8pm, 4am! So glad that one of us doesn't have to get up at 4 am this morning for the line!

More then this I am grateful for the healing I am seeing in Tyler's body. Last week he said, "Look Mom, I can hop again" and began hopping around the living room. He ran around in the sunshine the other day as well.....RAN!! It was so wonderful to see, I just stood there, Paisley on my hip and smiled! By the end of the day he still has a slight limp, but that is rare and only if he has been on it too much.

The nurse measuring the line to make sure it all came out.....
another nerve-racking few seconds.
Thankfully, it's all there!!!

When I told Tyler that the picc line is coming out he was just as surprised! He wanted to throw out the medication. I got it out of the refrigerator and laid it on the counter. The next thing I knew he had it over by the trash can and was dumping it in!!! We went upstairs and dumped all those meds out too......JOY!!!

Since Tyler's white blood cell count is so low he is prone to infection of any kind. So the nurse said we must keep it close to home for the next few days. If he gets any kind of cold or any kind of minor sickness he would need to be hospitalized immediately. So, instead of going into the Creamery for ice cream, I went in and brought some ice cream cones out to the car. Thanks Shrish and Chase for going along with us....it was a special day for ALL of us!!

Tyler just said to me, "Mom, I love the picc line off."

Me too Tyler.

Me too.

"You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing.
I wove my webs for you because I liked you.
After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die.
A spider's life can't help being something of a mess,
with all this trapping and eating flies.
By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle.
Heaven knows anyone's life can stand a little of that."

~E.B. White as Charlotte in"Charlotte's Web"~