He declined, but that’s OK. He got the line to work!

I wouldn’t have believed it possible. After dealing with lines for 20+ years, I thought I’d seen it all when it came to what they would try with a clogged line.

The Physician’s Assistant from Interventional Radiology came in first. He re-accessed Ray’s port, but had no better luck that I had previously had. Next Ray was sent to Interventional Radiology where the Vascular Radiologist did the same thing, at first with the same results. Then he used a very different syringe. This syringe uses much more force, but that risks rupturing the line, so don’t try this at home kids!

At first, nothing happened and then slowly the saline in the syringe went down. Still no blood return, so he kept on with more saline. I was worried that the line had ruptured somewhere and that it really was not going in the vein. Eventually however, there was even a blood return from the line. That’s when I asked if I could kiss him.

To ensure that the line really was fine, still in the vein correctly, and not leaking anywhere they then tested it under fluoroscopy. I didn’t get to stay in the room for that part. But it wasn’t long before the doc came out and said that the line seemed to be working fine now.

I’m still in shock, happy shock, but shock.

On the way home there was a rainbow in the clouds right in front of us. It wasn’t big, but just one of those ones you sometimes see on the edges of a cloud. I think someone was smiling down on us.