Happy New Year - Here's To Good Health

Well, I must say I sure know how to kick off the New Year - get really sick and spend 6 days in the hospital! Doesn't sound like tons of fun, now does it? Seems I developed a nasty blood infection, quite possibly from a dental implant that I had removed 6 months ago. The bad news is, the dentist neglected to prescribe antibiotics! Jeez! Now I'm being treated for endocarditis, a very serious infection of the heart valves.Currently I am on a pretty powerful antibiotic called vancomycin which can only be administered intravenously. I have a PICC (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) in my upper right arm by which I receive my medication. From my upper arm the PICC Line runs up and then across my chest where it sits in a large vein just above my heart. My homecare nurse has instructed me on how to “hook myself up” so I am able to administer my meds at home or work. I have to give myself the antibiotic twice a day for 30 days. Each session takes approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Just imagine giving up 6-7 hours of time per day. I am currently on a 9:00 am/9:00 pm schedule. Twice a week, my homecare nurse visits to take blood samples in order to measure my vancomycin troughs – too much vancomycin can effect my kidneys and hearing and too little won’t fight the infection effectively. The blood tests must be given just prior to my 9:00 am dosage. It took days for my body to adjust to the initial side effects of such a strong antibiotic – some too personal in nature to discuss here! Let’s just say that mornings were the worst. Oh, and I can’t lift anything over 5 lbs. Now, the good news. Frankly, I am grateful to be alive! My cardiologist encourages me to get back in the swing - to ease back into my normal life as I start to feel better. I am all for that! If only my physical self agreed with my inner-enthusiastic self. Although I deplore being sick, I’m learning to care for myself first. My equipment and medications are portable and light-weight and while everything may look menacing it really is not.This has been a real eye-opening experience for me and I think it has changed me forever. I look at things much differently now. I hope I never go back to taking things for granted or forgetting to be grateful for all of life's simple pleasures. Cheers!