My first hospitalization was at the age of 13 for CF-related arthropathy. Does anyone else have that? Periodically, I get severe, disabling joint pain, accompanied by a red, raised rash that feels bruised. It comes on quite suddenly, and lasts only a couple days. Anyways, I was in hospital for a week, basically just for observation. I guess there's not much they can do about it.
At 18, I was hospitalized for pneumonia for 2 weeks, peripheral IVs all the way.
At 22, I was hospitalized for 7 weeks, resulting in a diagnosis of ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura), a splenectomy. Again, peripheral IVs the whole time. And I wonder why my veins are shot...
My first PICC was in 2003 for home IVs. Here in Alberta, Canada, hospital stays are covered by health care, but I have to pay for my drugs and supplies if I go the route of home IV. It seems completely backwards to me...
So, if I can afford to do home IVs at the time, I prefer that. However, my docs seem to want me in hospital for extra CPT and monitoring.
Since then, I'm in hospital every 6-12 months.