I have long extolled the benefits of a PICC line when receiving chemotherapy and given the choice I would always opt for one over cannulas.
However.
When my chemo stopped in early December I assumed, wrongly, that the PICC line would be removed. My oncologist thought it should stay in ‘just in case’. It wasn’t removed which meant that it still had to be flushed and redressed on a weekly basis.
The first week I was told that the district nurse would call ’sometime during the day’. So I waited in and she arrived late morning so the whole day wasn’t wasted. During my conversation with her we agreed that I could see her or one of the other district nurses on a Friday at 1:30 at my GP’s surgery. Excellent I thought and the following week I presented myself at the designated time and place. This time however the DN noticed that the area around the PICC line was very red and appeared to be weeping. She referred me back to the oncology department at my local hospital to take a look at it.
They, after much moaning, said there was nothing wrong and that the previous DN had not allowed the area to dry after cleaning before putting the new dressing on. Fine and I went on my way.
Over the next two days the redness had got worse and the new dressing had come off. I have to add that I was not in any pain or discomfort. I telephoned the emergency number I had been given and was advised to go to A&E.
A&E on New Year’s Day is not a place I would recommend.
I was seen comparatively quickly (5 hours in total) to some of the others waiting, especially the couple who had gone to A&E because they had put too much salt on their dinner. I kid you not!
The doctor I saw diagnosed that the PICC line was infected, removed it and immediately put me on intravenous antibiotics. And because I was on intravenous antibiotics it meant that I would need to be admitted as an in-patient. I had a series of blood tests and the PICC line was tested for infection. I was found a bed on the oncology ward and spent the night in hospital.
The blood tests and PICC line test showed that I did indeed have an infection. The doctor I saw the next day prescribed me oral antibiotics and I was allowed to go home.
All this could have been avoided if the PICC line had been removed when my chemo was stopped!
What has hit me is that in addition to all the inconvenience I have been put through is the cost to the NHS. Yes there will be a cost if I need a new PICC line in the future but surely it will be less expensive than all the treatment (DNs, A&E costs, hospital time (plus I was taking up a bed that could have been used by someone else), pathology tests, antibiotics plus all the admin costs associated with it) I have had to receive. I have yet to find a valid reason to leave my PICC line in especially as it will be at least 8 weeks post chemo before any decisions are be made regarding my ongoing treatment.
I have since found out that leaving PICC lines in place is common practice.
I haven’t spoken to my oncologist yet, but I will. My next appointment with her is on Jan 25th. Hopefully I’ll have calmed down by then.
Anyway to end on a positive note I had my PET scan on Monday. I’m just having to deal with the anxiety of the results (Scanxiety as Blueeric2002 puts it). I’ll let you know how it goes.
