First out patient influximab treatment

So today I went for my first influximab infusion as an out patient at the day case unit at The Treatment Centre. They needed to cannulate me as it’s given in a drip and didn’t believe me at first when I told them my veins were bad. After 3 nurses spent an hour having 3 attempts each in various places in my hands, arms and feet they then got the doctor.

Even using a paediatric cannula he couldn’t get one in so they called my gastro consultant to ask if they could use my Hickman Line to which the answer was a resounding ’NO’ as it’s too precious. If they didn’t follow the correct sterile procedures I could end up with a line infection and sepsis and back in the hospital and to be honest I would rather them jab me a million times than get sepsis.

So they had to call the anaesthetist to ask him to cannulate me. I had to go to the short stay ward to see him and it took 2 of them half an hour to get one in. In my wrist! And yes, it hurt. A lot.

Back on the day case unit I asked the nurse to bandage it so I didn’t catch it and pull it out (it’s not my first time having a cannula in the wrist) and was told there was no need. Lo and behold when she came to flush it what did she do? Catch it and nearly pull it out. So 2 nurses had to peel back the dressing, unbend the cannula that now had a 90 degree bend in it and was hanging out of the vein and then they had to coax it back in. It didn’t go all the way back in but was enough for it to work properly. I thought I took a photo but I can’t find it on my camera roll.

All of this took 2.5 hours so my 4 hour appointment just became a 6.5 hour one! I’m back home and absolutely knackered. I’ve written off tomorrow as a duvet day. I haven’t watched Adolescence yet as I was waiting to watch it with Hubby but he’s always busy or I’m too tired in the evenings so I think I will binge watch that.

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