This Is A Picc Line.....Who Knew....

Bernie has graciously let me photograph is arm for you!!!!! When we found out that "normal" chemotherapy would not be enough for Bernie, and he would need the "heavy stuff", we were told that he would have to have a "Picc Line" inserted permanently. This involved a trip to theatre, and a permanent line being inserted at his inner arm up into a vein, then up inside his arm to his shoulder, around his shoulder and down near his heart. On the outside of his arm he has two ports and so this means that he can be hooked up to two pumps at once. This Picc line can stay in for up to twelve months if it is looked after. We have to have it drained and re-dressed every week. I call it Bernie's service and tune-up. When he needs bloods taken now, they can just put the syringe into one of the Ports and it means no more pricks. When we arrive at hospital for his chemotherapy, they just hook him straight up to the "beetlejuice" through his ports and away he goes. At first it looked so scary, but now we realise how wonderful it is and it means no more jabs trying to find a vein, and the "beetlejuice" can go straight into his system and start working straight away. There you are, you are now an expert on a Picc line!!!!!