Hi
The strangest thing has happened for the second time and just wondered if anyone had some advice. I had an operation to have a port in on 12 May and have 2 wounds, one where the port is in my chest and the other along my collarbone where I can feel the tube. Anyway the collarbone scar healed fine but there was still a little mark at one end that I thought was a scab and suddenly it keeps making me aware of it, slight discomfort and it went a bit red and now out popped a quarter of an inch of thick stitch like fishing line. Woo what a big fish they caught that day! Now when I had the sentinel node biopsy a thin long really fine thread came out, almost an inch long and the district nurse declared this dangerous! So it had to be clipped. This one is very thick and when I look at the chest scar it has the same little scab on the end of that too, so this might be another one soon. I assume the surgeon has double knotted the end or something? Anyone any idea what to do please, it is a a little sorer tonight
Lily x
Eugh, Lily that sounds painful. im a total wuss so would be right in to ask about it but I do think its probably a double knot or something - hope someone replies with something useful and its no more sorer - you are so brave the thought of having a port in terrifies me
xxx
Hi Lily - The stitches under your skin probably consist of a knot and then the two little ends sticking up either side. It sounds like one of the ends is poking through the skin, which is not unusual. I would ask your nurse just to snip the end off. It can get very uncomfortable and irritating feeling a bit of the stitch poking through the skin, and can make a little scab as you have described. Don’t worry about it though, and hope it will be sorted soon. Sarah x
Thanks for replying ladies,
booked myself on the district nurse’s home visit list to check it. I thought i would avoid the docs at half term as on my lowest immune days. Will let you know what she says. Hope I have the lovely African nurse who has so much knowledge about wounds, much more than the others I have been sent, shouldn’t generalise but she just Mums me and takes over responsibility, no things like I’m not sure, never seen this before, no idea, better phone my supervisor, didn’t know they put tubes this long in people, not been trained for this, do you know what I have to do. Just been unlucky in the past I know but she is a legend. Her Mum wants a boob job in her 60s and she is disgusted with her and trying to bully her out of it, it is hilarious, cannot wait for the next installment if she comes, better than Hollyoaks.
Lily
Hi
the deed is done, I did not find out the next episode about the Mum’s latest but was visited but another really kind nurse. I love how eccentric some people are, she came in and said well is it the hip or the leg dear? I felt bad telling her I had BC because there was genuine compassion. Anyway she said it must come out (the stitch) and got her little gadget and chopped off the stitch and got a lumpy knot out too. She thinks another is coming through at the end of the port too and that will need the chop, so I hope that hurries up before my next dose. The wound is red and slightly hard so I have to keep an eye on it but it has stopped hurting.
Fingers crossed
Lily
Glad that you had the ends cut off, and that you had a kind nurse! Hopefully it will all be more comfortable for you now, and good luck for your next chemo.
Sarah
seabird,
Thank you so much. I appreciate your help with this little problem. Hope you are ok too
Lily x