GRATITUDES:
1. My loving family
2. Conscientious nurses
3. A seriously kick-ass view from my window
4. A quiet room

Yep. I’m baa-aaack! I arrived back at the hospital this morning around 11 and was shown to my room in very little time. I’m on the north side of the north tower and my view is pretty amazing, with a sweeping 180º outlook, not to mention solid, reliable wi fi. This side of the hospital faces a north-northeast direction so I can see low rolling hills in the distance and hopefully, if next week’s weather reports are accurate, I’ll be able to watch as the rain rolls in. That should be pretty amazing. For now, though, it’s back to the grind of keeping boredom at bay, but I’ve brought some extra ammunition this time around. I’ve got a yoga mat and a good amount of space on one side of my room for spreading it out. I’ve also packed my drawing kit, a coloring book that Anita and Rachel gave me, a pad of paper, some small illustration boards, and a set of colored pencils, also courtesy of the Dolliver females. I’m pretty well set!

Ugh. Apparently I’m to have another PICC line specifically for the Blincyto drug. Sheesh. So just why in hell did I have the port implanted? I thought the drug would go through the port but now I’m being told that, no, it requires a stupid PICC line. Also, the tech who usually does the catheter inserts seems a bit concerned about my veins. Since my port’s catheter is taking up valuable real estate in the blood vessels in the upper right side of my chest, the extra line has to go in my left arm, which is already battle scarred from five previous PICCs. The tech has left for now to consult the oracle who can give him guidance. Heh. Maybe it won’t be possible to use a PICC. Yep, wishful thinking. I really hate PICC lines. They feel funny and they leave scars, at least on me.

I’m already adjusting to the odd rhythms of the hospital. For one thing, I’m once again planning my time around anticipated visits by the nurse or Food&Nutrition staff and looking forward to mealtimes. Yep, I’m a well behaved and conditioned zoo animal.😄

Welp, all Borg implants are in. The PICC line was installed around 5pm but the site is bleeding. This has never happened before and I’m not sure what can be done about it other than pulling out the catheter and trying another vein. Right now my upper left arm is wrapped in a compression bandage, which makes using my left arm at all a bit of a nightmare. Flossing and brushing my teeth will be interesting. My night nurse has said that she wants to change the dressing on that arm but she’s reluctant to disturb the existing bandage in case a clot breaks free. What fun.