So! Neil was going to write a blog about jabs week, as we have all had injections this week. On Tuesday, Jasmine, Neil and I had our flu jabs and then on Wednesday, Calista had her third set of immunisations and today, Jasmine had her epo. However, events overtook us tonight and we have just come back from the hospital after a line break.
Yesterday, I decided it was time for the first fondue of the season. I bought some cheese and made a loaf of bread so that it would be not too fresh and crumbly for this evening, and was so looking forward to dinner. Tonight, I fed Calista and gave her to Neil to get ready for bed, and she dozed off in her cot. I then got the machine ready early, injected Jasmine with her epo, got her washed and ready for bed and fed well in advance. And as she was a bit tired, I put her down to sleep so that I could get her connected before I settled down to my fondue. I love fondue.
But alas it was not meant to be. I finished the three minutes handwash, connected Jasmine to the patient line and then as I was about to untwist her connector-catheter (so that it is ‘open’ and fluid can flow in and out), the whole connector-catheter came away from the titanium connector. A tiny bit of fluid dripped out but I nipped her line closed with my fingers above the titanium connector (not touching the end of course, big infection risk!) and shouted for Neil. He ran about getting out the clamps and the alco-wipes and then we put the whole thing in a sandwich bag and put an elastic band around it to hold everything secure and rang the hospital.
Calista and Jasmine were both fast asleep in their cots, even with all the lights and the commotion and us jumping up and down. And as I had had a nice nap this afternoon I was the most clear-headed to get everything together quickly, put Jasmine in her buggy, and venture out into the night. Someone was looking after me, as I managed to hail a taxi at the end of our street (I have never ever seen a taxi down the end of our street in all the time we have lived here) and hopped in.
Once on the ward, our lovely nurses had the catheter soaking in Bettadine in no time and got the new connector-catheter on and took a sample which they whisked off to be analysed in the lab. Neil turned up soon after with lots of useful things for a night on the ward, unlike the time I packed for our last line break. Jasmine was excited not to be in her cot, once she got over the shock of waking up in a strange place and Calista was asleep in the sling on her daddy’s chest. Once Neil and Calista were organised, I nipped down to the coffee shop to get sandwiches, coffees, panetone and other snacks to wait for the sample results to come back.
But when I got back upstairs, the Jasmine’s white cell count results (23) had been rung up to the ward and the nurses had made up two nights of antibiotics in the dialysate. So, we were free to go! No need to stay overnight. It was all so quick. We got back here at half past ten and I made up the new machine and plugged her back in at about half past eleven. As I was connecting her it felt like we hadn’t been out at all.
So it has been an exciting night! I am sorry to have missed out on my fondue but so glad that Jasmine and Calista are back in their cots and Neil and I are about to get into bed. As Jasmine is on antibiotics I am hoping that it will clear up the last of her cough and mucus and stuff as she has had it a while now.
Tomorrow we will be watching a lot of Kung Fu Panda whilst we wait for the ‘End of therapy’ message as she won’t come off until after 11am, but I don’t care because it is so nice to sleep in my own bed and dream about the fondue I will have.
Jasmine has managed without her NG tube now for 45 weeks, which is really unusual for a renal baby and marvellous and I can’t believe it as I type it. She is so tenacious and drinks that milk day in, day out.
Gorgeous indeed! Glad to hear that Jasmine’s still NG-free. As for the fondue, “Just ‘due it.” (sorry, couldn’t resist a cheesy pun).
That is remarkable, you go Jasmine! Sorry about the line break, ugh!!!