This has been hard to write.

Okay, Jym, back up.  That's the end of this blog entry.  It's not as bad as you think.  And I'll explain why.

Last night I went to Brighton and caught up with my friend Mel.  She's just moved there and to be honest I needed a night out.  Perfect.  The intention was to catch some music, sadly that didn't happen but much gibbering nonsensical conversation did.  I needed that,  So here is a picture I took of the lovely Mel in the Prince Albert underneath Brighton railway station.  Good pub and they have some excellent bands play there.

The lovely Mel who is not my wife.

Cheers Mel.  Needed last night.  Oddly she was once accused by the nurses at Eastbourne DGH of being my wife.  Yep, she should be so lucky!  (Cue Mel not talking to me.)

Now today was the first real hospital day where they did something.  And that was insert the PICC line.  What is a PICC line you ask?  (And even if you didn't ask, I shall pretend you did, so you get no say in this.)  A PICC line is a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter.  Basically, it is a line that is inserted into the arm then goes into the body and is used for both giving drugs and also taking blood.  Here's the Macmillan page on PICC lines, if you want to read it.

Thing went in a dream, thankfully.  Took minutes to insert the line, a little painful but not too bad.  PICC lines are not used in every case and in 2010 I didn't have one.  This time I agreed it was a good idea with Joyce, my Macmillan nurse, before I even met the oncology staff.  I had so much damage to veins last time it makes life a lot easier.  After insertion there is an x-ray, this allows the medical team to confirm the thing is in place.  Spot on first time, so Tina and Joe who placed the line, a serious thank you for your excellent work.  Once it was placed I gave my first blood sample.  The amount of blood you give during chemo is astounding, but this was a baseline sample.  But, and wait for this, I wasn't allowed to leave until I'd had a sandwich and a cup of tea.  Why?  Well, not because I needed to build up the system or to replace lost calories.  No, it was because I'd earned by being a "model patient."  (Advice, here.  Do what they nurses ask and life is so much easier,)

Then a trip into town to buy a hot water bottle (in case of swelling on the arm, you put a hot water bottle on it to soothe the area) and a plastic sleeve to cover the PICC line when I shower.

Now, you're thinking, "Jym, you've written quite a bit!  How could it have been hard to write?"

Here's the answer.  I'm a left-hander and the line had to go into the left arm.  It's a little restrictive on movement, my arm doesn't bend properly  And for those of you who looked at the Macmillan link, here's what mine looks like.  I won't show it all, there is some blood and I don't want to upset people.  But it looks like this.

The line with gauze over it.

The end of the line!  (Boom!  Boom!)

So, when I said it was hard to right, that's why.  The line is in place and everything is go for tomorrow and the chemo.  Now that may be hard to write about.

Jym

Oh, the guys at work have pumpkins and are also running the New York marathon for the local hospice.  Here's photos of the pumpkin and the sign on the reception desk.

Until tomorrow.  Fingers crossed, eh?  And if you want to contact me, use the box on the right hand side.