10/3/19: Port Appointment

Today the port nurse "accessed" my port for the first time. This means she placed a needle into the port. I think she did a blood draw. I also think she "flushed" it, I'm not sure what that means exactly, but she made sure it's working properly, and that the catheter isn't blocked.

One of my prescriptions is for a lidocaine-prilocaine numbing cream. It's not as thick as I thought it would be; it's kind of runny. The port nurse had told me to put it on about an hour before the port needs to be accessed, and to leave a visible layer on the port "so it looks like toothpaste," i.e., don't rub it into the skin. She also let me know that I only need to use the cream on the port itself, where the bump is. Finally, she recommended using a square of Glad Press 'n Seal to cover the port, so the cream doesn't get rubbed off onto my clothes. 

The anticipation of the procedure made me nervous, but the port nurse was great about explaining each step. The port area is still bruised, so it felt tender as she poked around, but the numbing cream worked just as it should, and I did not feel the needle at all. 

So, I guess I'll be getting used to this procedure. My port will need to be accessed at the start of every chemo treatment, and de-accessed before leaving.