One of those days (Day +6)

You know those days where a lot of things go wrong? Not big things, just small things that add up until you wonder if perhaps you should have just stayed in bed that day?  Today has been one of those days!

Cameron started running a fever last night, which continued on and off for most of today.  The doctors do not want to give him the intravenous Tylenol anymore because of the strain that it can put on his liver and he completely refuses to drink the oral Tylenol, so he is not being medicated to bring the fever down.  There is no major risk to his health by not reducing his fever, it's more of a comfort thing, and an uncomfortable Cameron does not make for a fun day for any of us.  So he has been understandably grumpy today and besides the fever - he has also been very nauseous.

So after a morning of changing diapers and linen (the diapers don't always function as well as they should under these conditions), Cameron settled down for a nap and I settled down to catch up on my reading, when I started to smell something.  Now, I am not easily offended by smells - you can't be after you have smelt some of the lovely aromas that occur after a stem cell transplant, but this was a different scent.  This was decidedly FISHY!  YUK!  I can't stand the smell of fish!  As soon as my nurse walked in she noticed the smell too and we set about trying to detect the culprit.  We soon discovered that Cameron's TPN (intravenous feeding liquid) had started to leak and that was what was smelling so disgusting.  Reasonably easily solved, the nurse replaced the TPN with fluids and brought in a new IV pole and after a few spritzes of Lysol, our room was somewhat less stinky.

No sooner had I sat down and picked up my Kindle, when my nurse became a bit flustered.  She had lifted Cameron's blanket to connect him to the new fluids and discovered that he had been bleeding from his central line.  This could mean one of two things:  the connection on the line was a bit lose and had allowed some blood to escape or Cameron's line was broken and would need to be surgically replaced as soon as possible (not the best scenario when your child has no immune system).  In trying to determine what the cause of the bleeding was I lifted Cameron's shirt to get a better look at his central line, and as I lifted it - the entire sterile dressing came away from his skin.  It is of the utmost importance that the area stays clean, dry and sterile at all times as it connects directly to his blood stream and an infection could be fatal, so it is constantly covered with a sterile dressing to protect it.
At the precise moment that the dressing came away, Cameron threw up.  I instinctively put my hands out to catch it and protect the central line.  Oh my goodness!!  GROSS! 

Of course, we then had to change the dressing, which Cameron detests and insists that it is akin to a medieval form of torture!  The linen had to be replaced AGAIN, and I headed downstairs to do my millionth load of laundry. 

No wonder I am exhausted tonight!