Blood draws

I thank God for the invention of a port. Even though my port has not always cooperated with me, I am still so glad I have it! My port has allowed me to start my IV antibiotics from home instead of going in the hospital to have a PICC line placed. I don't have to deal with the disgusting feeling of the PICC line slithering through my vein and out my arm at the end of the two to three weeks of therapy. It's a lot easier to keep my port dry than to keep my PICC line arm dry. I can use both arms in the shower (you don't know how much easier it is to shower with 2 arms!) My chest isn't nearly as sensitive to the tape as my arm is. And, most importantly, I have easy access to blood through my port whenever I need levels drawn instead of nurses having to stick me multiple times, trying to find a vein. My veins have been so used and abused over the years, they are now minuscule in size and roll away from pressure points. Needless to say, it's pretty much impossible to hit one of my veins. With my port, once it's accessed, you can draw however much blood out of it that you need--assuming I don't have a blood clot or fibrin sheath. As a Cystic Fibrosis patient, I have yearly labs drawn to check my vitamin levels, kidney function, white blood count and red blood count, and Hemoglobin A1C. I had these levels drawn today, and I was reminded again of how grateful I am for a port that makes my blood easier and less painful to obtain!