8.21.2013

IV Day 4 and 5

IV Day 4 (Tuesday)
This day I actually slept in until 9:30am NY time which is unheard of for me, even when adjusting to our local time. We through ourselves together and I went for my 1 wash while dh read across the street in Central Park. We took our books everywhere, there was lots of down time on subways etc and we loved just being outside. My treatment was uneventful except that Dr. Toth thought he saw CT on both of our slides. I say thought because he has to look at the slides several times for over an hr each, and then someone else confirms what he sees. So it can be a long process, but there is no "growing out" of a culture like I originally thought. Dr. Toth planned to look at it again the next day with fresh eyes. We left that day with letters from the office so we could do more sight seeing and avoid scanners. We took the train to lower Manhattan hoping to see the 9/11 memorial. We knew we needed advance tickets and didn't have any, but it worked out. We got tickets for an hour from then, I grabbed some cheap sunglasses from a street vendor, and we had a really good meal for cheap ($7 chicken sandwich with roasted red peppers and chipotle mayo-yum!). What to say about the memorial? I won't use the right words to do it justice. It was beautiful, meaningful, unitive experience. I felt somber and yet very peaceful there. If you don't go with a tour, be sure to talk to someone who works there. There was a ton of updates since the pamphlet had been produced. Tower 1 was now finished and replaced the twin towers. So much symbolism there and in every single detail of the memorial. I especially loved the story of the one surviving tree. And a new thing that just began, volunteers put white roses in the name of anyone whose birthday it would have been. They wanted to remind people to remain reverent and that this was basically a cemetery. It was all very moving.





Prior to that, our subway experiences were all fine. Even positive. This one though was very very crowded and hot. Yuck. But following that experience we had one where the a/c was just blasting cold air and was such a welcome change. I learned a I really needed a more appropriate size purse with me. Carrying dh's book meant I wasn't always zipped up and that is really just an invitation. A girl my age brought to my attention she could see my wallet and I was appreciative. This was one of our hotter days, approaching 88 degrees. The IV was more uncomfortable on the hotter days, just because you are basically wrapped in saran wrap for half your arm, but mostly the weather was so mild while we were here we were really spoiled (76-83 most days). Dh and I did NOT wear long sleeves like most reported. I had a light jacket I could thrown on or over my arm whenever, but it just wasn't a big deal. To date, no one asked. I am sure a few wondered, but we weren't looked at like lepers or anything. (note, someone asked on our last day, but she assumed it was a tattoo covered up, which makes total sense given how the bandage looks; in all my time with IVs, it is crazy rare that someone asks, but when they do I say I have an infection and assure them it's not contagious, I just need 10 days of antibiotics, but there is no other need for me to be in the hospital; for those that know an infection causes our miscarriages, some ask what kind of infection is it when they know us well. I say it's a form of mycoplasma or "ureaplasma urealycticum" and shrug. That is the truth, or at least it was, and you better believe no one is going to go home and google that one. Honestly, I could care less if its that important for them to know).




That evening we headed to a Yankees game in Bronx. They won! Very festive subway home. Since there was a huge line after the game to refill our metro card, we offered to pay someone more to swipe theirs twice. Lesson learned: if they have bought an unlimited pass, they can't swipe twice in ten minute. One girl got stuck, unable to go through after letting me through with her card. A very nice gentlemen stepped in with his card that wasn't prepaid and got her and my dh through. The subway was festive on the way home after a win. I love all the languages being spoken everywhere you look. And constant acts of kindness, giving up seats on the subway for someone else, etc. Such a great experience. And no one ever minded giving us directions. We were often wanting to confirm we were catching the training going the correct direction. No one steered us wrong :) As far as IV and treatment go, I had the slightest cramping this day and a tinge of blood when wiping twice. No big deal. We truly were not hindered in any way. 


IV day 5 (Wednesday) 
Finally up to real time! Today was my D&C and dh's first seminal vesicle injections. We could not eat or drink after 12am because we were both going to be given Demora.l. We had previous discussions about whether to be on it at the same time and decided it would be alright. Our appointment was at 9am, so this time we were told to arrive 30 min prior. I don't think I mentioned previously that every other day our IV bags were changed. This was done so quickly and effortlessly by Dawn, Dr. Toth's nurse, that several times I didn't even notice her doing it. While caring for the IV was not a big deal at home, there were several times with my previous IVs at home that I would forget to restart the pump after changing my bag or batteries. This would add time onto an already long stint, so it was nice to hand over these duties and forget about it. Also, the pump with Dr. Toth never beeped due to being kinked. It had to do with how she wrapped it and the tubing Dawn used. At home, I often worked with the pump on and would be embarrassed by it going off due to a kink. The only time I thought it kinked, it was our apt fridge beeping for being left open too long-so funny! So no beeps to date.

Anyway, we arrived at Dr. Toth's and were immediately swept into our separate rooms. My D&C wasn't full (just minor scraping of the cervix to expose infection to the wash). I have trouble with anesthesia and narcotics, often vomiting. I let them know and they weren't concerned. They were already giving me a valium type substance that blocked nausea receptors. It was really effective and I only had two slight waves of nausea. I asked Dr. Toth if he had time to relook at the slides and he said yes, they both were positive for Chlamy.dia. They put the demora.l in my IV along with the other med and I told them immediately when I felt it. I knew it was in me because the ceiling was moving :) I was awake and aware that Dr. Toth was doing the scraping, and I felt it though it didn't really hurt. The medicine worked because I didn't care that I was awake. And it was never mean to put me out, just basically really sleeping and peaceful, so I wasn't panicked or anything. I asked Dr. Toth to test the pressure in my tubes earlier in the week and he said he would during the procedure. He said he would not open them if they were closed though because he no longer does that. That info came through Dawn and I never really asked why. Anyway, I remember asking about the tube pressure and Dr. Toth told me both were closed (dang infection!). I wanted to talk next steps and he told me we would talk tomorrow because I wouldn't remember anyway. He was probably right. It's one of those things where you think you feel fine, but you are really kind of slow and out of it. After the D&C, I had my two washes. I think I slept in and out for the first one. I believe it was after the first that my dh joined me.

He found the Demora.l to be effective, and the shot didn't hurt at all. However, the full feeling that followed the shot was to the point of pain. He quickly left my room for a place to lay down and stayed there an hr and 15 min moaning in the next room. So hard to hear him not feeling well. To his credit, he said he is glad we came to NY and are doing this. And he still says the swab is the worst of all of it.

After we were both ready to go, Dr. Toth's staff told us they could call us a cab or we could go across the street cattycorner and grab a bite for 30 minutes. We chose to grab a bite to eat. After that we checked in with them and were given the all clear to walk the less than a mile back to the apt.  I came back and slept two hrs since my goofiness chose to wake at 6am NY time-boo! Dh rested in the bedroom with the tv and I was glad we had a separate sleeping/tv quarters.

We caught a movie at 5pm at the 86th street theatre (the Butler-very good) and felt fine. We grabbed pizza and headed back to the apt for an early night. I really can't believe how good we feel. I only have slight spotting. The meds have definitely warn off, but not tylen.ol or anything needed. I would definitely still keep the day low key due to the demor.al. and the fact that you really do think you are fine on it when you really aren't 100%. I am just not interested in walking around the city that vulnerable.

That's it for today. Tomorrow I just have one wash. Friday, I have two and dh has Demora.l again with SV injections again. Saturday I have my last wash and we are done!

Our plan tomorrow is St. Patrick's Cathedral, Wall Street, maybe the Staten Island Ferry...good stuff!

2 comments:

M said...

This is so fascinating! Thank you so much for sharing your journey. I am lifting you and your DH up in prayer! Once you complete the treatment, can the infection return or does it cure it for good? Also, is this the extent of his treatment or do some people have to go through even more invasive things.

E said...

So glad the D&C wasn't that bad. Poor DH!

I think that the tubes will open on their own after the treatments take care of the infection. But I also had dr. D open mine twice after Dr. T's treatments.

Sounds like you are having a blast in the city!!