Goodbye Gertrude!

This is Gertrude all clean with a new dressing. Ian survived another torture session. Poor boy, I hate to see him miserable and unhappy! I definately don't like being the bad guy.
I have to wear a mask and in this picture I am putting on sterile golves to begin the cleaning of Gertrude.

Gertrude with her old dressing removed waiting to be cleaned. I think the anticipation of the cleaning is the worst for Ian. He knows the alcohol swabs are going to sting, at least the chloroprep doesn't sting.

Here I am removing the old dressing. I don't have to wear a mask or gloves for this part. I just sanitize my hands well before I start.

Here is Ian waiting for the torture to begin. Gertrudes dressings are looking a little raggid. He has had this line since Sept 8 and has not had one infection with it. The doctors are impressed. I can't tell you how many kids I heard of while Ian was in the hospital or who had gone home and had to come back to the hospital because of a line infection. I am convinced that proper flushing and meticulous dressing changes have made all the difference.

Last Friday at Ian's clinic appointment, the doctors asked us if we wanted to have Ian's Broviac Line removed (aka Gertrude). Our response was "Is the pope Catholic?" We are so excited, things are happening much faster than any of the doctors told us they would. For those of you who are unfamiliar with a Broviac Line, it is a pain in the rear!!!! For the last four months Ian has not been able to have a regular bath. Gertrude's dressings can't get wet and the claves (the two blue "hats" at the end of the line) cannot be submersed in water. If the dressings get wet or if the claves get wet, then everything has to be changed and then there is also the risk of infection. It's bad enough that I have to flush his lines daily, but it is a HUGE pain to get him to cooperate once a week when I have to change his dressing and change claves. NOT FUN!!!!! Anyway, we are supposedly going to have the line removed in the next week and half and I can't wait! So I took pictures of what I hope is Ian's last dressing change and clave change. It's possible I might have to do it one more time, but I am going to be positive and hope that I don't have to. Ian hates having the dressing change. I think the alcohol stings and taking the old dressings off doesn't feel too great either.