Gosh Emma! That’s bad news…

and that the nurse didn’t catch it sooner is worse news.
I’ve been lucky, and I USED to have good veins…but as my nurse put it today…’old faithful’ is going to have to be retired.. Went in fine, didn’t draw like it should and got pulled and well-worked just fine then!
I can’t keep the catheter in over a nite as it tends to shift and then cause problems, but in summer heat I really hate to wear long sleeves because I feel as if I’m a junkie w/the needle marks and bruises. I too am considering a port.
I hit it off w/my home IV nurse right away and for all intents and purposes I’m ‘hers’ as a client. I do prepare fresh coffee and often breakfast buns or turnovers if she wishes to nibble. [She comes very early to just early in the AM] There have been times when she’s brot me a bun from somewhere on her way here as well. We share bits of personal life, discuss to a lo key degree politics and tune in to mutually agreeable TV shows-which I usually fall asleep during. She also does the phone, paperwork and reading thing as she needs, but is ever alert to any changes to my breathing etc during the infusions. BTW? She does nothing BUT infusions 90% of the time and for regular patients. Tho she has trouble getting that catheter in at times, she appreciates me as I’m apparently and easier ‘stick’ than many of her other clients.
For me, the hospital infusion nurses weren’t as up to date on products nor of new procedures as the home service nurses are in my area/company. I had many errors in infusing while reciving IVIG at the hospital. Honestly I feel safer with the home system, I also [just in case?] know exactly how long it’d take EMT’s to get here and get me to a hospital.
That swelling and bump should go down in about 10 days..that’s been my experience [from the hospitals] and keep icing until the heat is gone. Then some very gentle warm compresses and lite massage in that area should help it go down.
I do know that my pre-IG treatments of Benedryl should knock out a medium-sized elephant? But they don’t …not until later. Then I nap a good 2-3 hours waking up w/what I call a Benedryl hang-over. After that I’m good to go, usually.
Hope this helps.