From Port to Picc...

[Sea5]

Still no blood return with my dad’s port. He had chemo in his arm vein again today.I had to leave him and go to work; asked the nurses if someone could call me to tell me how he did, and if there was any change in the game plan...nobody called me, so I wonder how long they let the TPA or whatever clotbuster they used sit in the port to hopefully shift the fibrin sheath. (lack of a return call is the norm....guess I was feeling overly optimistic today) but when I got home, had a voicemail from my dad saying chemo went ok but they told him he’d have to go back to the surgeon, and he didn’t know why. Ugh a lack of information is so frustrating....and I hate for my dad to be left just wondering what’s next. A nurse had earlier told me that a pic/picc line was a possibility. Anyone able to share their experience of having that? My dad keeps telling the docs/nurses, “you’re the experts, I have to defer to you”...it worries me that dad may be agreeing to things without fully understanding what’s being proposed. : (

[j-o-h-n]

Unfortunately... I know it's not easy, but someone has to be with him when the doctor(s) speak to him.....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 11/02/2019 12:45 PM DST

[Sea5 in reply to j-o-h-n]

That would definitely be preferable...I stay with him until the last possible minute before having to go to work. Where’s that cloning technology when you need it...

[j-o-h-n in reply to Sea5]

That's too bad.... I wonder if the doctor(s) will let you tape it when you can't be with him. Just a thought.... I've already been cloned , my clone is Brad Pitt, I'm Bad Pitt...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Sunday 11/03/2019 11:26 PM EST

[ctarleton]

I had a PICC line back in 2005 when I had to get daily infusions of a particular medicine that took hours to drip, over a period of one month, five days a week.

A PICC line is a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC). It is a long IV type tube typically inserted into the inside of the upper arm that has your non-dominant hand. Just under the bicep muscle. The procedure is usually done in a medical setting with imaging to confirm that it has been placed correctly. It's long enough to go from the upper arm, through the shoulder area, and then back down a specific large vein, almost all the way to the heart.

Once it is in place, it stays there, .... a tube sticking out of the arm, often with a branching into two tubes in case they might want to infuse one thing such as chemo into one tube, and perhaps some other drug helpful drug into the other tube. The whole thing is usually held in place with some larger clear plastic stick-on protective cover to hold the tube(s) in place at the entry site. The stick-on cover can be easily replaced at any time.

When you go home, and while you sleep, you may also wear a handy mesh cover over it, to keep it from catching on things during the day, or while you sleep. There are also custom-made PICC covers or arm bands that some people wear for "fashion" purposes. Perhaps one's favorite color, ... or even a "Camo" pattern for the guys who might prefer that. There are also various ways to water proof them while showering, if desired.

In actual usage, it gets to be a regular routine. Instead of getting an IV needle stick each time for Chemo, they use the external tube connective device at the end of the PICC line. They typically flush it with sterile saline both before and after usage for Chemo procedures, to make sure it stays clear, clean, and usable. Over a long course of Chemo, it can help one avoid many, many needle "sticks", and trauma to veins.

Charles

[Sea5 in reply to ctarleton]

Thanks so much for all of this information! It’s so helpful to hear the details...very much appreciated!