Getting prepared for chemo cycle round one!

With the birthday treats over it was now time again for yet more hospital appointments and this was to begin the very next day firstly with a hair cut at the Robert Ogden Centre followed by the procedure of having my picc line inserted. I was to say the least somewhat apprehensive about this procedure and with also thinking about the prospect of having my hair cut short that morning in perpetration of losing my hair due to the chemotherapy I did not sleep too well the night before.

A PICC line is a long, thin, flexible tube known as a catheter. It is inserted into one of the large veins of the arm near the bend of the elbow. It is then threaded into the vein until the tip sits in a large vein just above the heart.

If you'd like to know more about picc lines just click the link below!

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   PICC lines (peripherally inserted central catheters
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   Before

   We arrived at the Robert Ogden Centre in the grounds of St. James hospital at 8:15 am The Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre gives support and information to patients and their families, providing workshops, drop ins and relaxing treatments and already I have had the benefit of a hair loss workshop which proved to be very informative, friendly and supportive. 
   It was here where I was booked
   In with one of the hairdressers for my new hair cut. 

   

   After

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   
   With the first stage done we then needed to be over at the Bexley Wing for 9am ready for the Picc line procedure. They were really lovely and made me feel so much more at ease. Everything was explained to me and I was then prepared for the forth coming procedure. It looked like an operation was about to be performed as the doctor prepared herself before beginning just as she had explained although it appeared that way it was really just procedure and all about making everything safe and sterile as it was to be done only with a local anaesthetic! All my anxiety had been for nothing the procedure took about 40 minutes from start to finish and to be really honest the most I felt was a scratch when she marked where it should go in, followed by the needle to give the local anaesthetic a few seconds after that I honestly did not feel anything unpleasant and when it was all finished the most I had was a slight ache around my inner arm which only lasted for a few hours. 
   

   

   My picc line all done

                    
   After other people to see before we left, X-rays and further blood tests we were given 
   a bag of goodies to take home from the hospital along with another collection of medication from the hospital pharmacy. The end of a very long day we finally left for home around 4:15 pm.
   

   

   Information and supplies for my picc line.
   District nurses to come once a week to flush line and  redress

   
   
   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   

   More medication!