Getting my kids used to mommy's IVs

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mamaScarlett

Active member
This is the first tune up I've had where my DD who is now 4 actually understands and talks about what's going on. Boy was I surprised at the amount of detailed questions she has!<br>In the end, a simple explanation is getting through to her. Recently she had a bad cut on her leg, and I put Bactine on it each day. On her own, she put together that mom's IV meds are just like her Bactine. To kill the "bad bacteria guys"-in her own words.<br>When I came home from the hospital she was pretty freaked out by my PICC. Like most kids she hates needles, but she gets especially emotional/dramatic about it. I said this is going to make mommy strong and healthy and made muscles-looking happy and positive. This is a good thing in the end, not a scary thing. Well, she wasn't totally convinced of course.<br>I started thinking what could I do to make this less scary? I looked online and found a couple things to help. I thought it would be cool to ask her to help me decorate my IV pole-I have some old battery powered twinkle lights, and found these great things called polepals-noteboards, photo holders, stuffed animals, and shapes that are meant to clip onto an iv pole. They're pretty cheap too. They came this morning and she loved setting them up! We're making this our normal. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"><br>In the midst of this I'm still breastfeeding, and of course babys head is resting right against my PICC which is hurting. I googled PICC line cover and found these cool covers on etsy that are cheap and chic looking with cute fabrics. They velcro on. I explained the situation to the woman that makes them and she's even including a free mini cover for my daughter's doll! Awesome! I figure this will look cute, provide extra cushioning to protect it from the kids, and I can tuck all my tubing into it.<br><br>So does this make IVs fun and great?!-NO. But it gives a little silver lining... I have learned the hard way to make the most of things. <br>
 
M

mamaScarlett

Active member
This is the first tune up I've had where my DD who is now 4 actually understands and talks about what's going on. Boy was I surprised at the amount of detailed questions she has!<br>In the end, a simple explanation is getting through to her. Recently she had a bad cut on her leg, and I put Bactine on it each day. On her own, she put together that mom's IV meds are just like her Bactine. To kill the "bad bacteria guys"-in her own words.<br>When I came home from the hospital she was pretty freaked out by my PICC. Like most kids she hates needles, but she gets especially emotional/dramatic about it. I said this is going to make mommy strong and healthy and made muscles-looking happy and positive. This is a good thing in the end, not a scary thing. Well, she wasn't totally convinced of course.<br>I started thinking what could I do to make this less scary? I looked online and found a couple things to help. I thought it would be cool to ask her to help me decorate my IV pole-I have some old battery powered twinkle lights, and found these great things called polepals-noteboards, photo holders, stuffed animals, and shapes that are meant to clip onto an iv pole. They're pretty cheap too. They came this morning and she loved setting them up! We're making this our normal. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"><br>In the midst of this I'm still breastfeeding, and of course babys head is resting right against my PICC which is hurting. I googled PICC line cover and found these cool covers on etsy that are cheap and chic looking with cute fabrics. They velcro on. I explained the situation to the woman that makes them and she's even including a free mini cover for my daughter's doll! Awesome! I figure this will look cute, provide extra cushioning to protect it from the kids, and I can tuck all my tubing into it.<br><br>So does this make IVs fun and great?!-NO. But it gives a little silver lining... I have learned the hard way to make the most of things. <br>
 
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LouLou

New member
Great attitude! We've had to do much of the same sort of stuff in our house. Isaac loves to be involved and lets face it I can appreciate having the help of a "little nurse." He brings me supplies knowing them all by name. Sadly we've had a bit more practice averaging IVs every 3 months for years it seems now. No hospitalizations though - that would definitely be a shock to him. Now I am trying to explain to him why having to require IVs isn't a good thing without turning it too negative. Very delicately I'm trying to get him to understand the role he has in keeping mommy healthy. I certainly don't want him to have a complex but it is true everytime I have to start IVs it's because of a cold that I got from him! I realize he's just being a kid but I've taught him things like not touching his face out in public unless with the inside of his shirt. He doesn't fight me on taking a nap even though he'll be 5 in July because he knows "mommy needs a nap." I know it's not his fault his mommy has very little immune system but he can do his part to keep me alive longer. The sooner he learns that the better in my opinion.

I hope I'm not making a mistake by doing this...I know it's a fine line teaching him about germs, how to stay healthy by eating well, moving away from classmates who "have a cough like mommy" etc. God forbid I die, I certainly don't want him to have guilt that he caused it. But lets face it my cf WOULD be progressing much slower if I didn't have a preschooler. I think the benefits of keeping mommy alive longer on earth outweigh any risks associated with teaching how to keep mommy well.

Seriously you have an IV pole? I've only heard of one drug that you really need a pole for promixin I think it's called. Is that what you are on? I couldn't imagine having to use a pole in the house.
 
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LouLou

New member
Great attitude! We've had to do much of the same sort of stuff in our house. Isaac loves to be involved and lets face it I can appreciate having the help of a "little nurse." He brings me supplies knowing them all by name. Sadly we've had a bit more practice averaging IVs every 3 months for years it seems now. No hospitalizations though - that would definitely be a shock to him. Now I am trying to explain to him why having to require IVs isn't a good thing without turning it too negative. Very delicately I'm trying to get him to understand the role he has in keeping mommy healthy. I certainly don't want him to have a complex but it is true everytime I have to start IVs it's because of a cold that I got from him! I realize he's just being a kid but I've taught him things like not touching his face out in public unless with the inside of his shirt. He doesn't fight me on taking a nap even though he'll be 5 in July because he knows "mommy needs a nap." I know it's not his fault his mommy has very little immune system but he can do his part to keep me alive longer. The sooner he learns that the better in my opinion.

I hope I'm not making a mistake by doing this...I know it's a fine line teaching him about germs, how to stay healthy by eating well, moving away from classmates who "have a cough like mommy" etc. God forbid I die, I certainly don't want him to have guilt that he caused it. But lets face it my cf WOULD be progressing much slower if I didn't have a preschooler. I think the benefits of keeping mommy alive longer on earth outweigh any risks associated with teaching how to keep mommy well.

Seriously you have an IV pole? I've only heard of one drug that you really need a pole for promixin I think it's called. Is that what you are on? I couldn't imagine having to use a pole in the house.
 
M

mamaScarlett

Active member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>LouLou</b></i>
Seriously you have an IV pole? I've only heard of one drug that you really need a pole for promixin I think it's called. Is that what you are on? I couldn't imagine having to use a pole in the house.</end quote><br>I know, stone age, right?! Its only for saline. They have me on 3 hydration packs a day. I'm still nursing, so any bit extra helps. Plus I've had such bad kidney stone issues, this helps flush the meds out, particularly tobra, of which much is absorbed through the kidneys.<br><br>GIRL we have to catch up. I was going to call you today but got bogged down with the home nurse. I'll either pm or call ya later <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"><br>
 
M

mamaScarlett

Active member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>LouLou</b></i>
Seriously you have an IV pole? I've only heard of one drug that you really need a pole for promixin I think it's called. Is that what you are on? I couldn't imagine having to use a pole in the house.</end quote><br>I know, stone age, right?! Its only for saline. They have me on 3 hydration packs a day. I'm still nursing, so any bit extra helps. Plus I've had such bad kidney stone issues, this helps flush the meds out, particularly tobra, of which much is absorbed through the kidneys.<br><br>GIRL we have to catch up. I was going to call you today but got bogged down with the home nurse. I'll either pm or call ya later <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"><br>
 
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