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My PICC line in my right arm. Because there is a long wait for my chest port surgery, I had to get a PICC line in my right arm for my first chemo treatment. Trust me, having had both now.......if you find yourself in a similar circumstance and having to make a choice between a PICC line or a chest port-------CHOOSE THE CHEST PORT!!!! The PICC line has to be flushed with heparin daily and the dressing has to be changed weekly. The chest port (once the incision has healed) had to be flushed with heparin and saline monthly, it is inside located your body so nothing hanging out that you have to worry about snagging on something and you can bathe without fear of getting it wet and causing an infection.
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The PICC line was located on my right arm on the medial side of my arm just above the elbow. It was perfectly positioned so that my "right girl" constantly hit it. To say that it was a challenge is an understatement, but I persevered. I only had the PICC line for two weeks but it seemed like much longer than that. Needless to say, when I see a poor soul with one in the ATC Unit (where I receive my chemo at MDACC), I feel the need to talk with them and let them know that someone else knows what they are going through!
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My first chemo. I think this pic says it all. ICK. This pic was actually taken at the hospitalaity gathering place on the second floor where families and cancer patients get coffee and cookies and set a spell. There are chairs, recliners and couches there. You can always tell who the cancer patients are because we occupy most of the recliners and couches. I was so sick with my first chemo, I actually laid down on a couch in front of probably 100 people and countless people walking by gaping.....and I didn't care. I couldn't have cared less if I was being stared at or not. That was a long day, indeed.
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Here is the PICC line is all it's glory!! There were two lines on it just in case one was not enough for the medication and treatment. the little purple airplane looking thingee is the catheter which was threaded into my deep vein my arm up around my shoulder and down to just above the opening to my heart. The catheter looked like it was two feet long. It was purple too. I told the nurses that I was an SFASU student and that our school color was purple!! GO JACKS!! Anyway, you can see how this would be terribly uncomfortable. You have heard the old saying, "This too shall pass." Well, it did, happily, it did. :)
My PICC line in my right arm. Because there is a long wait for my chest port surgery, I had to get a PICC line in my right arm for my first chemo treatment. Trust me, having had both now.......if you find yourself in a similar circumstance and having to make a choice between a PICC line or a chest port-------CHOOSE THE CHEST PORT!!!! The PICC line has to be flushed with heparin daily and the dressing has to be changed weekly. The chest port (once the incision has healed) had to be flushed with heparin and saline monthly, it is inside located your body so nothing hanging out that you have to worry about snagging on something and you can bathe without fear of getting it wet and causing an infection.
The PICC line was located on my right arm on the medial side of my arm just above the elbow. It was perfectly positioned so that my "right girl" constantly hit it. To say that it was a challenge is an understatement, but I persevered. I only had the PICC line for two weeks but it seemed like much longer than that. Needless to say, when I see a poor soul with one in the ATC Unit (where I receive my chemo at MDACC), I feel the need to talk with them and let them know that someone else knows what they are going through!
My first chemo. I think this pic says it all. ICK. This pic was actually taken at the hospitalaity gathering place on the second floor where families and cancer patients get coffee and cookies and set a spell. There are chairs, recliners and couches there. You can always tell who the cancer patients are because we occupy most of the recliners and couches. I was so sick with my first chemo, I actually laid down on a couch in front of probably 100 people and countless people walking by gaping.....and I didn't care. I couldn't have cared less if I was being stared at or not. That was a long day, indeed.
Here is the PICC line is all it's glory!! There were two lines on it just in case one was not enough for the medication and treatment. the little purple airplane looking thingee is the catheter which was threaded into my deep vein my arm up around my shoulder and down to just above the opening to my heart. The catheter looked like it was two feet long. It was purple too. I told the nurses that I was an SFASU student and that our school color was purple!! GO JACKS!! Anyway, you can see how this would be terribly uncomfortable. You have heard the old saying, "This too shall pass." Well, it did, happily, it did. :)
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