Tuesday, March 17, 2009

'Ouch' or 'Ick'

Today I had my second port removed. This port was the double lumen which was installed in February to allow the collection and reinsertion of stem cells. I'm not sure whether I described it before. The double lumen is a two tubed line which hung out of my chest. The two tubes merge inside the body to become a single 2 cm tube, which is routed into the jugular vein. Removal was necessary because the external portions of the line are a potential route for infection. I also have a second, subcutaneous port, which makes this one redundant. 

While the surgery to put the port in was done under sedation, the extraction procedure is considered minor, and requires only a local anesthetic. As with most procedures I've had which require a local, the anesthetizing was the most painful part. What followed was much stranger. The physician's assistant forcibly wrestled the line from my chest, just pulling in various directions until the line slid out. The whole operation took around 20 minutes, and when she was done, there was a foot of tubing on the table - most of which had been in my neck just a few minutes earlier. I'm not sure whether it was an 'ouch' or an 'ick' moment.

Yesterday, I played my Wii for most of the day. The Wii Fit was a loads of fun, and I was surprised at how easily it wore me out. I think I'll do the same this afternoon.

2 comments:

  1. definitely sounds like both ouch and ick! my skin is crawling just picturing you watching them pull the line out....ick! :)
    hp

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  2. So, are you now going by "Patrick Unplugged?"

    Sounds like a Matrix moment :)

    Erik K.

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