Category Archives: Central Line

TPN Anniversary

One year ago today, I started TPN (IV nutrition). At the time, I had only been getting about 600 calories a day, between the little I could still eat and the formula I was getting constantly through my J tube. Within two weeks of starting, I couldn’t even get the 600 calories and became fully TPN dependent. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s kept me alive for a year now. In that year, I have only been able to eat three eggs (for a medical test), two small pieces of potato chips, and a piece of tofu, none of which went well. I eat a ton of skittles and jelly beans, but only because they easily drain out of my stomach through my G tube. At least I’m alive and still causing trouble. In other news my SSDI hearing was delayed until January, so I have to wait even longer to get my neck (and speech) fixed. It’s only been three years since I applied.

TPN Needs

This is the IV nutrition and medication I need to stay alive every day. (Apparently, I’m a messy eater… 😜) I have severe gastroparesis and intestinal failure from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and I am unable to eat or tolerate formula through my feeding tube. I am completely dependent on TPN (IV nutrition) to stay alive, and would have died last year without it. Medicaid pays for this life-sustaining treatment, which allows me to keep doing disability rights work and writing. Don’t let the AHCA pass! 24 million will lose coverage and people like me will die.

What Is a Port?

I realized I posted about something medical without explaining it, and assumed everyone knew what I was talking about (like a typical doctor 😜)

I had an IV port put in last Friday. It is a device that sits just under the skin, and has two access ports. By sticking a special needle through the skin and into an access port, i can get IV access to one of the major veins near my heart, so I can get the IV nutrition I need daily. There are two access sites so that I can ru two different IVs at the same time, or give myself medications while running nutrition. Here’s a picture of what it looks like access with two needles in.

the port will allow me to remove the needles and go swimming if I want, or do other activities without having a line hanging out. Hopefully this will last me a long time

Here’s a picture of me with the port accessed.

This is what the port itself looks like.

http://www.bardaccess.com/products/ports/powerport-duo-mri