Another line infection!
Another bloody infection!
I can't believe it.
Just seen Dr 7 in his clinic and he thinks it's almost certain that I have a tunnel infection. Most people get infections at the exit site (the bit where the line comes out of the skin) but he said the symptoms I'm describing sound like the infection is deeper and in the tunnel part (where the line is tunnelled under the chest from the neck).
This is a lot rarer than an exit site infection- bloody typical that I get it then! It could be due to the fact that I had a lot if scar tissue and it needed to be pushed in more or it could just be one of those things.
As he put it "there are four options.
1. Do nothing. Go home to bed and pull the duvet over your head and cry.
2. Have oral antibiotics.
3. Have IV antibiotics.
4. Take the line out and put another in."
We dismissed 1 and 4 as being over dramatic and discussed the merits of 2 and 3. Oral antibiotics are the easier option but will take longer to work. As I'm allergic to 3 antibiotics he is also limited as to what he can prescribe and the one he would have to give me would increase the motions of the bowel meaning that my stoma would probably end up going crazy.
IV antibiotics would work quicker but have to be given in hospital. So I would have to make a daily trip to St. marks for 10 days or be admitted....
Unless I was willing to learn how to mix and administer the antibiotic at home myself.
Yep, yep, I can do that I told him. So I went back up to the Intestinal Failure unit to have my first dose and be shown how to do it. Tomorrow I will do it myself on the ward under the watchful eye of the specialist nurse and if she is happy I can then do the other 8 doses myself at home.
I've also been told on the hush hush that a doctor from my team is on call over Christmas and working Christmas Day so if I get ill I should present at Northwick Park A&E and then I will be seen by the St Marks doctors. Great stuff, but I really hope I don't need to!
NB x
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