Going home today

Looks like Andrea may be on her way home today. The doctors have decided that she is stable/getting better and is ready to go home. She is still having low grade fevers (100.4) every now and then and still has a lot of pain, but she is improving day by day. Yesterday, she was a little less sedated and her pain in her arm/shoulder was a little better. She did have more pain in her abdomen/chest yesterday, but Andrea said that was also better this morning.

To get Andrea ready to go home, she is having a picc line inserted into her left arm. She is getting a picc because she does not have a port (it was taken out due to infection) and Andrea will need an IV antibiotic administered to her at home. It works the same way as a port-a-cath and is a line where she can get her antibiotics and future chemo treatments. It is not as comfortable as a port, but the risk of infection is much lower for a picc. Also, if Andrea does get another infection, the picc is much more simpler to remove and, unlike a port, does not require surgery to remove.

As long as the picc insertion goes well, Andrea should be all ready to go home. I am not sure when her next round of chemo will be. The doctors want her to heal and get rid of this infection fully before the next round will start. I think it will be at least 7-10 days before her next chemo will start. It is still warm here in Chicago for these next few days and, hopefully, Andrea will be able to enjoy the outdoors and do a little relaxation. Also, my uncle and aunt from India, Naresh & Promila Mangal, are also coming from India to visit Andrea and I know that Andrea is really looking forward to seeing them.