My portacath is in.

So this morning, for the third time in a week, I got up at an ungodly hour (5:30) and went to the hospital at the other end of town to get my portacath put in. It is very like the picc I've had for 18 months. It is an access that blood can be taken out of and can also be used to put in an IV. The advantage of it is that it is internal, unlike the picc. With the picc I had to wrap my arm in Saran wrap and tape it up. So I always needed help to shower. The port is completely internal and once the incision is healed I can hop in the shower any time I want. Yeah!

It was a pretty good experience overall. The  nurse who took care of me had put my picc in the last time and she remembered me too. There was also an orderly who is fantastic. This guy has worked so hard to learn all about what goes on in his department. His basic function is transport, but does some assistance to the nurses too. He knows all about the different accesses, how they are put in, and how folks do. I've spoken to him before and had him transport me and he is a wealth of information and comfort.

They had a bit of a problem getting it in (damage to my veins in my neck from dialysis lines in the past) but they did get it in on the correct (right) side although I do have holes in both sides of my neck right now. It hurts a bit, but  isn't too bad.  I'm not allowed to lift anything for about a week, so groceries are out right now again (small step backwards) but then I should be fit as a fiddle again. Relatively speaking.

My nephrologist is also going to get some of the nurses in his department trained to take blood from the port so that they can continue to take my blood monthly and I can just drop it off at the lab.  My neph is great and takes such good care of me making things as easy as possible.

So, as has been the case lately, things are looking up.