Today I was fitted with my port....but very nearly wasn't!!

The port was ordered from Belgium and when it arrived yesterday morning apparently it looked like someone had sat on it!!

Another was re-ordered and delivered to the Bard rep in Oxford this morning and she drove it down to Reading for them for this afternoon...

I had to starve from 9.30am no mean feat seeing as I scoff all day usually!!

Dropped Jack off at Sinead's, as it was Mia's birthday treat this afternoon at Madhouse (soft play)...

Got to the hospital at 12.45 and realised as we were halfway there I'd forgotten my book - drat

Was told to sit in the 'Intervention waiting area' where there was not one magazine in sight not even one from yesteryear!!

Went through to the X-ray room at 1.45 (a tad late but hey ho!!)..canulated up for the sedation, ECG pads on and marked up with a black marker. Sheila the nurse specialist who was doing the procedure started to sing the Umpla Lumpa song and orange iodine was spread VERY liberally on my neck/shoulder and right side of chest...

I was given sedation and was so disappointed as I thought I'd be in a state of wooziness...but nothing happened...well I thought not but apparently I went to sleep...as I said the sedation did nothing for me and Esme the nurse who was administering it said well it's 3.50pm and you've been drifting in and out of sleep!!

I could feel them routing around by my neck and pressing on the port to get it under the skin but it didn't hurt.

As I was stitched up, I could feel it but as I'm rock hard said it was ok and didn't need anymore local anesthetic...glue went on next and then I was unhooked and sat up for a while to regain my bearings.

I was given a load of gumph and a special needle to take with me when I next have a CT scan as they will need to use this instead of the 'bog standard' ones.

After a lovely much needed cup of tea I waited for Jon to come and get me.

There were no dressings on either cut but the port cut started to bleed a little at the end so I now have a dressing on it and can take it off tomorrow.

Started taking Arnica tablets last week and will carry on next week in the hope that it will minimise the bruising...and taking Ibroprofen/paracetamol for the pain and any inflammation.

So next Friday will be the first time it will be used -fingers crossed it's all ok.

All in all a 'strange' experience but much needed to ease the discomfort of nurses trying to find veins everytime I need treatment.

Love Clare xx