Mom's PICC Line

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DiWitt - 09 Jul 2004 05:18 GMT

Tonight the nursing home called and told me Mom's 8 day old PICC line wasn't
flushing. They called in a special IV nurse and she couldn't get it to work
either. Then she TOOK IT OUT!! and tried to start another midline.
Apparently Mom's vein rolled and besides hurting her a lot, couldn't get a
line started. So Mom refused to let her try anymore and said she was
refusing her IV med.

This has happened with Mom's other midline pic's at the nursing home and
then when she got to the hospital the are able to get it working again. What
I don't understand is 1- why does this keep happening. Are they doing
something wrong at the SNL that is causing it to clog up? and 2 - what can
be done to stop it from clogging up?

I really wish they hadn't taken it out. I think they should have had another
IV nurse come tomorrow and look at it and run a regular IV tonight to get
the med in her. It was quite a painful ordeal for Mom to have it put in to
begin with and she was very stress over it and then they just take it out!

After a talk, Mom did let a different person come and put a regular IV in.
But it took a strong talking to Mom to get her to allow it. I know she has a
right to refuse treatment, especially if someone is hurting her. But instead
of just refusing the IV she needs to ask for another sticker. And it's hard
for her to think of these things anymore.

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Cyberhugs,
DianeW

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential
is invisible to the eye. --Antoine de Saint Exup?ry

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Nann Bell - 09 Jul 2004 13:11 GMT

> This has happened with Mom's other midline pic's at the nursing home and
> then when she got to the hospital the are able to get it working again. What
> I don't understand is 1- why does this keep happening. Are they doing
> something wrong at the SNL that is causing it to clog up? and 2 - what can
> be done to stop it from clogging up?

PICC lines do sometimes clog up, even when they are being adequately flushed,
so I'd hesitate to blame it entirely on the SNL staff. There was some
special drug they used all the time at Shands to open up lines that wouldn't
open with heparin. Can't remember the name of it. Only PICC trained nurses
were allowed to use it.

Any chance of getting the SNL staff to accept a PICC inservice from one of
the hospital's PICC nurses? Or maybe the skilled IV nurse could spend some
time with the PICC nurses (or whoever handles the PICCs there) to at least
better learn how to evaluate the viability of a PICC line? If you have the
energy, it'd probably be worth it to talk to the SNL's nursing director about
working out some more detailed PICC education. It's something they'll be
seeing a lot more of each and every year.

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Nann
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Harvey R. Stone - 09 Jul 2004 13:20 GMT

> But it took a strong talking to Mom to get her to allow it. I know she has a
> right to refuse treatment, especially if someone is hurting her. But instead
> of just refusing the IV she needs to ask for another sticker. And it's hard
> for her to think of these things anymore.

Its hard for anyone to put up with. I was talking to a lady at church
about this and the back of her hand was a mess from the nurse making a
sideways swing to make the stick. Grrrrrr.
harv

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donnah - 09 Jul 2004 17:05 GMT

oh, Diane, I am so sorry...
I'll keep you both in my prayers.
donnah

> Tonight the nursing home called and told me Mom's 8 day old PICC line wasn't
> flushing. They called in a special IV nurse and she couldn't get it to work
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> of just refusing the IV she needs to ask for another sticker. And it's hard
> for her to think of these things anymore.

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debbie m. - 09 Jul 2004 22:32 GMT

Sounds like some uncaring people to me. What if they were in her shoes?

debbie m.
http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/angels1/

> Tonight the nursing home called and told me Mom's 8 day old PICC line wasn't
> flushing. They called in a special IV nurse and she couldn't get it to work
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential
> is invisible to the eye. --Antoine de Saint Exup?ry

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Newsgroup Spambuster - 10 Jul 2004 01:21 GMT

{{{{{{{{{{Diane W and Mom}}}}}}}}}}}}

Donna G

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Caroline Marold - 10 Jul 2004 05:42 GMT

Oh Diane. So hard for you.
Duckie

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Char - 10 Jul 2004 06:21 GMT

>Tonight the nursing home called and told me Mom's 8 day old PICC line wasn't
>flushing. They called in a special IV nurse and she couldn't get it to work
>either. Then she TOOK IT OUT!!

They absolutley should NOT have taken out the PICC line.

And it sounds like they have not been maintaining her PICC line properly.. It
should be flushed BEFORE her infusion of antibiotic and AFTER. And if they are
having problems keeping the line open, they should flush between infusions as
well. I believe I would be having a conversation with the head nurse, about
the care and feeding of a PICC line. (small joke there)

Just for the sake of curiosity, is it the same nurse every time when the PICC
line freezes up?
Char

"Remember, I'm pulling for ya'. We're all in this together." Red Green

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Margaret M. - 10 Jul 2004 19:06 GMT

> Tonight the nursing home called and told me Mom's 8 day old PICC
> line wasn't flushing. They called in a special IV nurse and she
> couldn't get it to work either. Then she TOOK IT OUT!! and tried
> to start another midline. Apparently Mom's vein rolled and

{{{{{{{{{{{Diane & Mom}}}}}}}}}}}
My thoughts and prayers are with you both.
I HATE needles, but they are an important part of my life.
I have learned to demand extra care from the swordsmen, though.
I know it's a tough situation for you, not being able to be
there as an advocate for your mom 24-7, but you're doing
all you can. I agree with the others that they should be made
aware that more education is needed in PICC line care.
Prayers coming your way.
Mag

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Squirrely - 17 Jul 2004 19:55 GMT

Diane W,

How are things going with your Mom lately. I have been praying for you and
her. I sure hope things are going better these days.

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Love and hugs to all
Good thoughts coming your way too.

Squirrely Jo

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Diwitt - 20 Jul 2004 04:44 GMT

Things seem to be going ok with Mom. It's hard to say. She was getting very
cranky and hard to please lately but her psyc took her off zoloft completely.
She wasn't sleeping at night anymore. It was working much better in combo with
the wellbutrin. She's been back on it for about a week now and seems much more
content and is sleeping better. We are taking her to the infectious disease dr
on Wed so we will know more then. Just can't seem to get the UTI's under
control.

Thanks for thinking about us. My sister was here for 10 days so she took over
the day to day care of Mom to give me a rest. She was able to see how Mom is a
bit more since she was her for a longer time. We took Mom to the lawyer and got
all that stuff taken care of finally. Whew!

>Diane W,
>
>How are things going with your Mom lately. I have been praying for you and
>her. I sure hope things are going better these days.

Diane W.
Orlando

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if
you'll die today." - James Dean

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
- T.S. Eliot

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Squirrely - 21 Jul 2004 08:58 GMT

Diane W,

I hope things are better for your mom and continue to get better. I hope she
gets a good bill of health when you take her in for the infectious disease
dr. I hope the UTI's leave her alone now.

I know this has been hard on you. It is good that you got a break for a
while. It was good of your sister to take over for you for awhile.

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Love and hugs to all
Good thoughts coming your way too.

Squirrely Jo

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