What kind of Dragonfly is that?

Can you guess what this is? A dragonfly? Another species!? This is called a Power Port Needle. It's what I've had in my chest (upper right subclavian) for the past three weeks. I can't tell you how GOOD it feels to have it OUT of my chest! After my last does of IV meds this morning.... I pulled it out and took the first, real, hot shower in weeks. Ahhhh, how wonderful it felt. This is only one thing that is quite "uncomfortable" while I am in Club Med. The benefit of this, though, far outweighs the negative so what do you do!? Well, if you have CF, you 'Suck it up and deal with it!" As I have said in the past, I don't like whiners and complainers, but I just wanted to let you in on ONE facet of my hospital stay.


Just for ONE moment, imagine having it in YOUR chest for 24 hours and multiply it by 21 days. Imagine trying to sleep with it in? Every move you make, it makes itself known. Imagine trying to take a shower with it... trying to keep it clean and dry. Imagine exercising with it still in your chest...while you are working up a sweat and constantly moving around. I am always so worried that the "occlusive", which covers it, is going to come loose and let some sort of bacteria or bug inside that will eventually work its way into my bloodstream and shut down my system. Imagine. Just for a moment. I do this.... because I have to!

The last time I was hospitalized, back in April of 2009, was when I got this "new" Power Port inserted through surgery. I had another one inserted back in 1994 by a surgeon who told me a little secret on how I could keep it a "VERY" long time without getting it replaced. I heeded his warnings and had THAT particular port, which lived under my skin, for 15 years. I think it's a record! A port-a-cath is inserted under the skin and a catheter is threaded from that to the largest part of your arteries.... up your chest, under your breast bone and down almost into your heart! This allows the IV medicine to get into the blood stream faster and not pulse the smaller veins as hard as a peripheral IV or a PICC line catheter does. The doses and antibiotics I require are "Big Guns" and have killed all my other veins since I've been doing IV's for most of my life.


I really do love it...despite it's drawbacks that I enlightened you with already. Yes I do...it's my new "DRAGONFLY" brooch, as a good friend, Tom, calls it. The reason being? Well, after it was newly inserted I was telling him about my expensive surgery and said "This was all I had to show...for $25,000"[pulling the v-neck of my shirt aside exposing a lot more than he expected to see. He still kids me--to this day] My lovely, $25,000 Brooch which sits prominently on my chest, is all compliments of my honey.. or at least ...due to HIS insurance company, for sure. You can make comments here.... I'd love to hear what you have to say on THIS one! Sorry if I grossed anyone out! It's just reality to me. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger and if it's not one thing, it's your mother, I mean, another.... Sorry, Mom... you know I love you with all my heart!