What to Wear to an IV therapy appointment!

Hi friends! Continuing our IV therapy theme I wanted to write about what to wear to an IV therapy appointment. I've always been in the comfort > style mindset, as my mom can attest. Here's a quick story about me: when I was in 3rd grade, my mom made me wear jeans to school one day. I cried for the entire day. I even threw up my meatball sub at lunch because I was so mad and uncomfortable. I was an angel- except when it came to clothes. Then I was a demon (sorry mom). My comfort-seeking ways have not gone down with age, so I still live in yoga pants and big t-shirts. Although I have my signature style down, there are a few things about IVs that make dressing extra difficult. Keep reading to see What I wear to an IV therapy appointment.

What to Wear to an IV Therapy Appointment 

• If you have long hair, tie it up. I prefer a bun so that there's no hair hanging around my face at all, but a braid, ponytail, or half-up would work too. There is nothing more annoying than having hair in your face when you can't reach it, and with one arm chained to an IV, you probably won't be able to fix it. The name of the game here is secure and away from the face. 
• Most of my IVs were during winter, so I liked to pretend that wearing a long-sleeve shirt would be fine. It is fine, but it's also an additional annoyance that you don't have any control over at all once that IV is in. Take my word for it and wear short sleeves. My go-to is a t-shirt with a large jacket over. Once I was in the office, I would take my jacket off and use it as a blanket (because it lowers your body temperature a little bit to have cold IV fluid running through your veins). 
• Pants. Trust me. Wear pants. I'm generally a shorts girl, but IVs just call for pants. I know I'm not alone in this because I never saw a single person wearing shorts at my IV clinic. Not once. Pants make it easier to get up and down from an IV chair, it provides temperature balance for the short-sleeve shirt you'll be wearing (😜) and it makes it easier and more convenient to hold things on your lap. I wore leggings for every single IV appointment I had and I do not regret it one bit. I recommend wearing the most comfortable pants you own. 
• No skirts or dresses. I have nothing against skirts and dresses, but IVs are just not the time. You don't want to have your legs up without some kind of pants on, and you don't want to worry about shaving before your appointment. Skirts and dresses are also much less likely to stay put on your body than a pair of pants is. If it takes all of your energy and focus to stand up and sit down without ripping a needle or catheter out of your arm, you don't want to have to worry about arranging your skirt one-handedly so that your shorts/underwear are the only things visible. You want clothing that will stay put without any effort from you. 
• No Rompers or Buttons. This one is probably obvious by now, but how are you going to use buttons with one hand?! Even worse are rompers-- it is literally impossible to take a romper off with an IV... you'd have to take the top of the romper off around the entire line, IV bag, and pole that holds it up. Then, to put it back on, you'd have to do the exact reverse. 
• Close-toed shoes. Especially if the IV clinic has reclining seats, you want those bad boys strapped on tight. Again, remember to focus on comfort, but it's not like you'll be doing much walking so it's less important with shoes than with anything else. 
• Limited Jewelry and Accessories. The goal here is to have as few things on your body as possible. Fewer accessories mean fewer things to annoy you and fewer things you have to mess with. When it comes to IV fashion, less is more. 
• If possible, pockets. Keep in mind that you will only have one viable hand to hold your belongings, open doors, move items, flush toilets... etc. Pockets will free up your hands so that you are better capable of doing everything else. 

Getting ready for your first IV is really scary. I was terrified in general, and wondering what on earth I should wear just added to the anxiety. I hope this post eases the first-IV-jitters for anyone about to start an IV. I have been living and breathing IVs, and they impact all areas of my life, even what I wear. If you're interested in IVs and what they are, check out my other posts labeled IV Therapy!

5 IV therapy complications

IV therapy is the most effective treatment I've ever done. While I'm grateful for the benefits I've received, I'm going to give it to you straight: they are really difficult. They're expensive, they take 6-8 hours a day, and they're painful. It's even worse when I get a complication. Here are a few IV therapy complications I've had, what they were like, and what you can do about them!

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#1: Superficial Phlebitis
This complication is actually fairly common for people that get regular IV treatments (See! Normal things happen to me! It isn't all crazy stuff!). Phlebitis really just means inflammation of a vein. This is the same thing as deep vein thrombosis, except it's in a surface vein rather than a deep vein. Usually, I can tell when I'm going to get this after an IV because the IV itself is painful and I can feel the irritation in my vein. I've only had this happen when I've had an IV in my hand, but it can happen in any part of your body. It usually only lasts 1-2 weeks, but if the vein hardens (like mine always does) it can last for much longer. 

This is the most painful and long-lasting complication I've had, so I try to be really pro-active about it. Using a heating pad on the vein during an IV, asking your IV administrator to put a numbing solution in your IV, and taking care of veins in between treatments can reduce the risk of getting phlebitis. Even with all of these precautions, I've had phlebitis 4 times in 6 months. Once I have it, I use a combination of topical treatments. This includes Traumeel (an anti-inflammatory ointment highly recommended by doctors and patients), Copaiba Essential Oil (although any anti-inflammatory essential oil would be beneficial), and various drugstore muscle balms (Tiger's Balm, IcyHot, BioFreeze, etc). Basically, I use anything and everything that could possibly help in any way🤣

#2: Superficial Thrombophlebitis aka a Blood Clot
This is basically phlebitis but it's caused by a blood clot. I've been cursed with being thiqq-- and my blood is no exception. I got a blood clot because my blood was backed into the catheter by a nurse. They did this to avoid using a brand new line because my IV fluids had drained too low. Once the blood clots, they can no longer administer the IV through that vein have to start the entire process over again. I got stabbed about 5 times the day this happened because they had to place the catheter twice. It was awful.

There are a few ways to avoid this happening. First, putting blood thinners in the IV fluids. This is a great solution because it thins your blood enough to decrease the chance of complications, but is usually out of your system by the end of the day. This means you don't have to worry about the complications of taking a blood thinner medication regularly. Second, asking for a large catheter. My IV clinic has varying sized catheters, so I get the largest one possible. The bigger the catheter is, the less likely your blood cells will clog it up. Third, don't let your IV administrator back blood into your line! Always ask if there's another way to do what they need. Unless they're drawing your blood, there probably is! 

#3: Cellulitis aka an Infection
I got home after one of my infusions to realize that my left hand was REALLY swollen. "It's nothing!" I told myself, as if anything in my life is ever actually nothing. The next morning my left hand was much larger than my right hand. I ended up having to go to Urgent Care and was prescribed antibiotics. This one is fairly easy to spot, as symptoms include swelling, pain, redness, and heat coming from the vein.

The only way to treat this is with prescribed antibiotics, but elevating the limb and applying warm and cool compresses can help. Once the infection and swelling go down, you're left with plain old phlebitis. I got this infection about a month ago and it's still painful and inflamed because of the remaining phlebitis, which as stated earlier, usually takes several weeks to go down.

#4: Allergic reaction  
I am not allergic to any of my IVs at the starting dose, but when my doctor upped my dosage of Glutathione I had a mild allergic reaction to it. The onset was really sudden and extremely painful. Once my doctor realized what was happening, she exchanged my IV bag for saline and gave me some medication to help the symptoms, which immediately knocked me out. My boyfriend had to take off work to pick me up and take me home (thanks honey😜), where I slept for a solid 20 hours.

One of the biggest risks of IV therapy is an allergic reaction, and it can easily cause death if the reaction is severe enough. As such, IV administrators are trained to watch carefully during the first dose of a new IV bag, and they usually explain to you what symptoms to watch out for as well. There really isn't any way to prevent this, but it is always important to notify your doctor if you experience any unpleasant symptoms. I waited a while before telling my nurse because I didn't want to sound like a baby, and I would have had a lot less pain if I had just told them at the beginning.

#5: Infiltration
Picture this: you're at an IV, peacefully watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Suddenly, you look down and there is a lump the size of a baseball in your arm, and it is bright orange (the same color as your IV fluid). Would you panic a little? I sure did. Infiltration happens when the catheter gets dislodged and the IV fluid starts leaking into your tissue. Usually, people notice it right away because it hurts pretty dang bad, but I guess Keeping Up with the Kardashians was just too enthralling. Once an IV infiltrates, it has to be taken out and placed in a different limb.

If caught early, nothing really happens. It just hurts for a bit. In my case, enough fluid had filled my arm that I had to elevate and undergo massage therapy to move the fluids into the lymphatic drainage system. According to my doctor, severe infiltration can result in nerve damage and other more-serious side effects, so it's important to check up on your IV every now and then.
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These complications made my IV experience really difficult. I've had constant pain in one of my hands for the past couple months, and I have to constantly deal with a new complication, the effects, and the treatment. The physical and emotional toll of IV therapy is nothing to scoff at. If you're currently undergoing IV therapy, I hope these descriptions will help you either avoid or proactively treat these complications. If you aren't, I hope you enjoy learning a thing or two about IVs and the last 6 months of my life!

Sources:https://www.aurorahealthcare.org/services/heart-vascular/conditions/phlebitis#Overviewhttps://www.healthline.com/health/cellulitishttps://www.healthline.com/health/superficial-thrombophlebitishttps://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/1001/p1325.html

IV Therapy: What it is and how it works

I have spent the last 6 months undergoing IV therapy. Before I started it, I heard a lot about it from my chronic illness friends, but I was scared to ask questions and didn't really understand how it worked. Now, after around 20 IV therapy sessions (and almost every IV complication possible), I am a self-proclaimed IV-therapy aficionado. And you can be too!

Here's a quick summary: IV stands for Intravenous, and IV therapy essentially means that you're putting a liquid directly into your veins. An IV can be anything from a simple saline drip to chemotherapy. If you're putting liquid in your veins, it's an IV.

I get my IVs at a clinic, although there are IV centers, doctor's offices, and hospitals that provide IV services as well.  When I go in for an IV, they take my blood pressure, pulse, and temperature, and then I go back to the room of chairs.

This is me right before my first-ever IV therapy session. Look at how scared and awkward I was!

Once settled, there are various steps taken to prep my veins (heating pad, nitroglycerin ointment, numbing cream), and then they put in the needle, insert the catheter, take out the needle, and hook me up to the IV. 

I was prescribed two different IV therapy treatments. The first is an iron drip, which was used to treat anemia. This IV took 20-40 minutes total, and I only had to do three sessions before I experienced results. Overall it was relatively fast and easy. Fun fact about Iron IVs, if they don't take them out correctly, the IV fluid can tattoo your skin! 

The second treatment is a four-bag regimine that includes Poly-MVA, Phosphatidyl Choline, Glutathione, and Immune Boost. Let me explain those scary-looking science words to you!

1) Poly-MVA stands for Palladium Lipoic Acid Complex (Poly), Minerals (M), Vitamins (V), and Amino Acids (A). The main goal of this treatment is to promote energy production. Essentially, it helps with cellular reconstruction which in turn helps cells work better and more efficiently. Here are some cool things about Poly-MVA:

• It is used to treat cancer patients as it starves cancer cells and strengthens healthy cells
• It removes heavy metals from the bloodstream
• It promotes liver, nerve, and immune function

2) Phosphatidyl Choline helps build cellular membranes, which dictates what can enter and leave your cells. This helps with:

• Toxicity and Mold
• Energy and Fatigue
• Brain Injuries

3) Glutathione is an antioxidant that is found in the body naturally. It helps your body detox on a cellular level.  This, in turn, helps kick-start the body's natural processes and strengthens defense and immunity systems. This makes it helpful for:

• Neurological Conditions
• Parkinson's Disease
• Cancer
• Heart Disease

4) Immune Boost (you probably already guessed it...) helps boost the immune system! This is beneficial for:

• Anyone with an immune system!

I use these IVs to treat fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, POTS, to help detox heavy metals and toxins, and to promote cellular energy production and strength. As stated previously, IVs are used to treat a variety of conditions, and can even be used for colds, the flu, and hangovers! An IV is like medication- there are many kinds, they treat many things, and they have many purposes. If you have any questions about these IVs, or IVs in general, head over to my Instagram @future.dead.person and leave me a comment or a DM! And don't forget to look out for my next IV Therapy post! (Spoiler: it discusses the complications I've had from IVs!) 

Sources: 
http://lotusrainclinic.com/polymva
https://www.gwcim.com/services/phosphatidylcholine/
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-717/glutathione
https://flowersmedical.com/iv-nutrition/

Be Mad

For the first 16 years of my life, I was perfectly healthy. My exercise levels, eating habits, and health records were above average.
So when I walked into my pediatrician's office with invisible symptoms and no obvious explanation, I was completely brushed off. I saw them 4 separate times before my mom took me to a new doctor in hopes of actually being heard. I saw this new PCP 4 or 5 times before she, too, dismissed me. Over the next several years, doctors told me over and over again that I was fine.

My family, of course, knew that something was very wrong. They lived with me. They saw me sleep for days at a time and lose my ability to process simple information. They saw my speaking and thinking abilities decline. They watched as my existence collapsed around me.
But this was a private struggle.

My doctors were not there for these moments, so they did not understand. My friends and extended family and church leaders and teachers were not there for these moments either.

Essentially every person in my life thought that my symptoms were my choices, and without a diagnosis, I couldn't prove them wrong. You would think that the world would be kind to a young, sick girl, but instead I was blamed for my own illness. Not being able to live my life was hard enough, but almost worse was the omnipresent disapproval. I internalized this, and I began questioning myself. I began to think that maybe it was my fault that I was sick. I agreed with everyone around me: I was being lazy. I was to blame. I was useless.

One day, I decided that I was done being sick. I told myself it was over. The doctors were right; it was in my head. So I got out of bed and I pulled out my old running shoes and I went on a 20 minute run. I did the whole thing without fainting, but within the first ten steps I had a searing pain in the back of my head and my body felt weak. When I got back, I collapsed on my bed and slept for 4 days.

This was obviously incredibly counter-productive. I should've been taking care of myself, not trying to meet uninformed outsiders' expectations.

I'm sick ((haha get it?)) of ignorant people thinking that they know anything at all about my situation. It's been over two years since this started and I still have to deal with unjust scrutiny on a daily basis.

Last Christmas my extended family thought it would be okay to start a rumor that I have an eating disorder, and that is why I am sick. Apparently, two diagnoses from medical professionals after years of testing mean nothing to people that want to make their own assumptions. Apparently, I am no longer the authority on my own health. Why support me with my debilitating illness when you can make up your own story out of thin air, just for kicks, instead?

I am frequently yelled at or given dirty looks when I go to my car parked in a handicap spot. I get extreme anxiety about entering or leaving my vehicle. Sometimes its easier to make myself sick from walking than to endure public scrutiny over whether or not I deserve the spot. Why mind your own business when you can make a disabled person feel bad about using accommodation?

I have spent years being argued over and gossiped about, tossed from doctor to doctor, looked over, ignored, and hated on because of my sickness. I've been judged because of my physical appearance by doctors, friends, family, and strangers.

I used to be a sixteen-year-old girl that thought that everyone had a right to their opinion. I used to feel bad for making people uncomfortable, and I felt bad about being upset by the words people said. As a kid, as a female, as someone that tries to be nice to everyone I meet, I am used to swallowing my anger and letting things be. I assume, always, that I am in the wrong.
I go on runs instead of listening to my body beg for sleep and I park in the back of the lot instead of daring to take a handicap spot. I let others blame me, and then I blamed myself.

No longer.

I am furious at the members of my family that decided to take an emotionally and physically traumatic experience and turn it into a way of hurting me even more. I am furious at the doctors that refused to take me seriously, despite having no reason not to. I am furious at the teachers that tried to stop me from taking online classes because they thought I was being lazy. I am furious at the members of my church that called me a sinner for not attending because I was too sick to go. I am furious at every single individual that thought that their ignorant input meant anything at all.

I have learned that I do not have any obligation towards anyone, ever. I never have to justify myself or my illness or my limitations to anyone. I do not have to inform stupid people about my personal experiences in order for them to respect me. My trauma is not justification for me to be treated fairly. I deserve to be treated fairly regardless.

I have accepted the fact that this is a battle I will have to fight for the rest of my life. I will gladly fight it. I am done accepting what the world wants to think about me.

I am aware that the majority of people that read my blog do not have a chronic invisible illness, let alone two. I know that it might be hard for you to relate to me, but I hope that you are as angry as I am at the way people treat each other. Stop being timid and shy and nice about things that deserve your anger. I thought I did not deserve to be angry, but I was so incredibly wrong. I hope you look at the things you let slide in your life and you stop letting them slide. I want you to look at your swallowed anger and find what matters to you. Then, be angry, be loud, be heard.

I am furious, and you should be too.

What Lack of Disability Accommodation Means to Me

I would like to begin by apologizing for the long break between posts. The problem with writing about disability and depression is that you have to deal with disability and depression and sometimes that alone is all-consuming.
Thank you for your patience.
xx Brooklyn

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Before I had a diagnosis I was not legally disabled, and as such I had difficulty finding others with similar experiences. Despite several years of having a disability, I have only recently found myself to be part of the disability community.  Settling into this newfound headspace has been enlightening for me. I have found a group of people who advocate for themselves, and by doing so advocate for me. 

As I have watched these individuals speak about their experiences as a marginalized group, I have found that I am becoming increasingly impassioned about my own rights. 

When I first moved into my apartment, the only handicap spots were at the basement level of the parking garage. As the site was still undergoing construction, elevators had not been put in yet. This means that to park in a handicap spot I had to walk up several flights of stairs to get to my apartment. I called the property manager and asked about when handicap parking on all levels would be implemented, and they said that it was "indefinite". 

When I received my accommodation reports for my classes, one of them simply said that they couldn't make any modifications for me. This means that if I am sick and miss one of these class periods, my grade is affected the same as every other student's despite my medically-supported need for a modified attendance policy. 

I woke up terribly sick last week but I still forced myself to go to school. I drove to my second class of the day but found no handicap spots open within a half mile of the classroom. I was too sick to walk that far so instead of going to class I parked my car and I cried. 

A few months ago I would have been sad about these things, but I would have told myself that this is just what happens when you're disabled. I would have reminded myself that I am a burden and that I am not allowed to ask for more than what everyone else gets. 

Now, however, I refuse to speak to myself this way. I refuse to accept the discrimination of these companies. 

These may seem like insignificant experiences. When you are not disabled, it is hard to understand the impact that these types of things can have. If you are having trouble understanding how this makes me feel, let me explain.

I spend my entire life trying to convince people that my existence is worth accommodating.

When my school refuses to give me attendance modification, they are telling me that I, as a person, am not worth the extra hassle that it would take to create a new attendance policy. They are saying that I don't deserve assistance despite the legal and medical proof that it is a necessity. 

When my school has inadequate disability parking, they are telling me that it is too inconvenient to make it so that I can go to class. They will pay for my tuition but they will not pay for my accommodation. They want me there as long as I am able-bodied. 

When my building refuses to make their apartments handicap accessible, they are telling me that my existence is inconvenient to them. It would take too much time and money and effort for them to make it so that I can walk into my unit.

It really sucks when your own home doesn't want you. 

I am so tired of being told that I do not matter. I am tired of asking people to respect my worth as a human being. 

There is guilt and shame around asking for accommodations. It feels like cheating. But it isn't cheating. As my boyfriend told me a few days ago, it's just "leveling the playing field". 

If you have a disability of any kind, physical, mental, or emotional, I hope you do not hesitate to ask for accommodation. I hope you remember that your capabilities have absolutely no effect on your value as a human being. I hope you know that it isn't taking the easy way out. It's giving yourself the power to live your life as fully as possible. No able-bodied person deserves that more than you do. 

If you don't have a disability, I hope you take time to notice the messages you are sending to those around you. Do you get irritated when someone needs a little extra time or assistance? Do you find it inconvenient to adjust your plans to accommodate those that are less able? If you do, I can assure you it is much much more inconvenient for them than it is for you. 

Please stand up for your disabled friends and family. Together we can stop society from inundating our chronically ill and disabled friends with messages of incompetence and shame. 

Our lives are hard enough without having to beg to be respected as human beings. 

I am done being told that I am a burden. I will not listen to these messages anymore.

I hope you will help me fight them.