Just a quick update for
those of you wondering how things went at the doctor's last week:
After a long drive, we
headed straight to our doctor’s office as soon as we got into town. She was
able to repair my damaged line in a half an hour or less; taking the utmost
care in sterilizing and handling everything involved. Fortunately we were able
to salvage the parts of the line needed, as opening up a sealed sterile kit only to use the parts that we needed, and then having to throw out the rest, wasn’t a
possibility. When my doctor inquired with the O.R. on the matter, they gave a
giant “NO” to the request, as one Groshong catheter kit costs—wait, do you want
to guess? Because I couldn’t believe it! All I had to say was, "Thank God for
free healthcare!" One line costs eight
hundred dollars. And to think, this was my second (and nearly third)
Hickman! I can’t begin to imagine how much I have cost the healthcare system;
and how little this would have cost had we caught it at the start!
The good that came out of this is that my doctor contacted the brand’s rep and asked if there was any way to get individual parts. Up until now, everywhere we looked only had complete kits. It turns out that because of my line failure, and the subsequent call to the brand for separate parts, the rep will be visiting in two weeks time to discuss the needs for spare parts; and potentially even bring samples in the meantime! This is two weeks too late for me, however; but two weeks nonetheless! And while this road is difficult, frustrating, scary, and seemingly impossible at times, things like these seem to make some sense of it all for me. If I can pave the way for a smoother treatment for others, just as others have paved the way for mine, then all of this is worth it. It would be even more worthwhile if my journey brought so much awareness and change that Canadian testing was accurate and treatment was easy get— but, I will hold on to the words of Blessed Mother Teresa and think instead, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” These “ripples,” among many other graces, give me the strength to keep going; especially when I feel like I have none.
Thank-you, all of you, for your many prayers! They were heard, and answered; and I am beyond grateful
that God’s will matched my own on this one!
Many blessings in the days ahead,
Kate
“It is God who
arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
He makes my
feet like the feet of a deer;
He enables me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for
battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You give me your shield of victory, and Your right hand
sustains me;
You stoop down to make me great.
You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not
turn.”
Psalm 18:32-36
