This week was full of medical firsts. I had my first pulmonary examination to test my lung function. Although my immunologist didn't expect to find anything, he thought it would be a good idea to establish a baseline for future use, as CVID places me at a greater risk for lung diseases. I don't know what I was expecting in regards to the pulmonary testing, but I was most definitely NOT expecting a small glass box that I had to sit in. Thankfully the door to the box was only closed for one of the experiments. All of them involved breathing into a valve while wearing nose plugs, I just had to breathe in different ways. Strange experience, but rather short and painless.
Unfortunately, my first in-home IVIG treatment was neither of those things. I received my packages of goodies the night before my treatment. Since it was my first time working with this home health company, Coram, I received my very own mine-to-keep-forever IV pole and a pump that I was to return after some unknown amount of time. I also received a box with a gazillion different medical implements and drugs. There was an allergy kit with EpiPens and benedryl, hydro cortisone, the gammaglobulins which I had to refrigerate, and then a huge assortment of various tubings, needles, syringes, saline solutions, bags, alcohol wipes, and a bio-hazard box that I was to mail once it was full. Everything was in its own sterile sealed bag and all of it was completely overwhelming and confusing. I also received my own version of a health chart with large amounts of paperwork, and a rather useful Wellness tracker that is given out for free by the company that makes the brand of gammaglobulins that I use. If any one reading this also has an immunodeficiency, I highly recommend looking up Gamma gard and joining their GARDian program. Very helpful.
Anyway, on the big day my nurse came to my house in the morning and we got to work. There was an excessive amount of paperwork to go over and sign, and then we took inventory of the boxes to make sure she had everything she needed. What followed next was the not so fun part. Never before in my long history of IVs and blood work has anyone had so much trouble with getting the needle into a vein. She spent a good 8 minutes moving the needle around at the first site she tried before declaring that vein a lost cause. She cleaned up the first failed site and moved onto the second. Again, she spent several minutes trying to get the needle to connect with the vein, only this time I could feel the needle sliding off the outside of the vein, which felt like it was elastic. And that's when I began to get lightheaded and see black spots. Although she did get the needle in the vein, it wasn't a good IV because every time she tried to flush saline through the IV it hurt. By then I was not feeling well at all so I moved from a stool and tried to walk to my living room couch. Apparently I fainted on the way. Definitely a new experience as I've never fainted before. Luckily I was only out for a few seconds and the nurse and my mom caught me before I hit the floor. Once I was settled and ate some pretzels and drank water I was able to hum my way through enduring a THIRD attempt at getting the IV in, only this time on the other arm. Thankfully the third time was the charm. Of course, then the pump wouldn't work, and we had to spend 15 minutes experimenting with different tubing before giving up and settling for a good old fashioned gravity-drip IV. After that it was smooth sailing, and I actually felt relatively ok after the treatment was finished, instead of wanting to pass out like last time.
All in all the experience was a little bit more adventurous than I was aiming for. It makes me a bit nervous for next time, as I definitely do not want to repeat the fainting or the failed attempts to insert an IV. But here's to hoping that this round of IVIG will keep me feeling better and energetic for longer. Last time it took two and a half weeks before my energy levels began to drop once more.
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