Baths: A Prequel of Sorts

I hate this PICC Line. When I shower, I have to wrap my arm in Glad Press 'N Seal and then I can't bend my left arm. I've only been showering every other day and cleaning myself up with baby wipes on my off days. I'm so worried about infection and getting the area wet could cause infection.

This morning I got up at 6:20 because I had to go to the hospital for labs at 8:00 and another MUGA scan at 9:00. I didn't feel like showering, so I ran a bath. I prided myself on the idea because I could rest my PICC arm on the bathtub and not have to wrap it. The bath itself was fine, but it brought back a very bad memory...

The last bath I took was 2 or 3 days after my biopsy. I couldn't shower because I couldn't get the area wet (armpit) and that would be pretty impossible to keep dry, so I ran a bath. I was home alone with the twins and I didn't think it thru very well. The wound was under my right arm, so I wasn't able to function very well with only my left. I had to ask my babies, who had turned four less than a week before to help me. I had them prep my loofa so it was nice and soapy for me, and then I had them wash my hair. They took turns pouring a pitcher of water over my head, shampoo, rinse, condition, and rinse. They were very gentle and took much care in their work, but I was a mess. I was kneeling in the water, hunched over to make it easy for them, crying my eyes out because I had been reduced to having four-year-olds bathe me in a matter of days. I didn't want to be that person. I didn't want to be a cancer patient.

Now months later, as I sat in the tub this memory came flooding back into my head. I quickly finished up and got out. I don't like taking baths anyway.