bruize picz 2

This is the lovely souvenir I was given by the unknown nurse in recovery. It is the result of an injection of Phenergen IM, an anti-nausea drug that was given to me to counter the effects of all the morphine. I would have preferred LESS morphine! And oh yes, it HURTS!

port picz 9

This is the bruise left behind by the double-stick in pre-op. It is things like this that lead me to the decision to get the dread Huber needle.


This was my first clearly visible Huber needle. It sucked to be able to see it! But after the bruising I endured the day before, I needed to do this.


My second clearly covered Huber needle! This one didn't bother me so much. And bothers me much less that I know now I won't have to go through THIS anymore!

port picz 8

No more Huber needle! And you can see now - no more tail!!!

port picz 7

This has much more apparatus than I envisioned. When I move my arm, I hear tape pulling a bit. And the tape that is up toward my neck itches. But overall, it just feels like I'm a freak more than anything else!

port picz 6

This is getting annoying!

bruize picz 1

This is the bruise left by Nurse W's IM injection in my upper left thigh. It also must have grazed a nerve because whenever I stand up, I feel like there is a hair or a string in that spot even though there is nothing.


This is the teeny dot left from Nurse H's IM injection in a lower area of my right thigh. Not only did it not bruise, but I hardly felt the shot at all =)

port picz 5

My port is starting to look like a bulletin board!

port picz 4

This is a Huber Needle. It can be stuck into my port and left there for a few days. For the three times it needs to be accessed each week, I will need only one stick. This appeals to me more than it repulses me =)

port picz 3

The thing that looks like a white-head is actually the stitch. Part of me just wants to grab it with a tweezer and yank the sucker out. But then the wuss in my thinks if I do that, I really will barf! So I will leave it alone. For now.

port picz 2

NO MORE GAUZE!!! And the strips are off my neck.



All gone :)



My port is under this bruised spot.

port picz 1

This is the occlusive dressing I have to wear over the site. The paper tape around the edge of the gauze is what makes me itchy.



This is what the steri-strips look like, with a good shot of the effect of the tape. You can see how red it is, now just imagine it blistery in the corners. The port is just below the big bloody spot. I'm not quite sure what they did in my neck and I don't want to know!



Now I'm trying a smaller square of gauze so I don't keep taping over the already raw areas. And I'll be trying some Benadryl.



And this is what my port looks like when it's not in my chest.