05-28 PainBuster gone

I just took out my PainBuster a little while ago. In case I haven’t yet mentioned it, the PainBuster is a device that administers a topical anesthetic under the skin, automatically over hours or days. They fill this little balloon thingy with the drug, and hook it up to a couple of IV-like lines that go under the skin. Then the balloon thingy automatically squeezes out 4mg/hr until it’s empty. It wasn’t completely empty when I was discharged, so I got to take it out myself. Not too bad, except that these lines weren’t just little IV lines. These suckers were about six inches long, long enough that although they entered my tummy just under my bra line, the ends were down close to my hips. And they stuck a little before coming out, so I could feel this tugging all the way across my belly. Ick! But it’s out, no bleeding or oozing, just a little bandaid. I wish I could take the drains out like that, but I guess they probably need a stitch or something special since it’s a much bigger hole.