The Infusion Suite

While each Infusion Suite is a little different, the above photo realistically depicts its simplicity.  There are some suites where all patients face windows while others just have a window on one side.  Some suites are one large room of 20-30 recliners where others are smaller suites with 6 recliners and 2 nurses.

Some medical facilities provide only nurses and a bathroom whereas others provide drinks, snacks, lunch sandwiches, ice cream, and have volunteers walking around making sure that they attend to your every need as best as they can.

All treatment areas have recliners and a curtain that can be pulled to completely encircled the patient with privacy in case there are any adverse reactions to the treatment or other medical issues manifest themselves...  this might be especially true for older patients.

There is typically a chair with each recliner so that the patient can bring someone to sit with them.

Transfusions can last from 30 minutes to 6+ hours.  Most patients bring an overnight bag with extra items such as pillows, sweaters, books to read, a laptop or tablet, cell phone, and even noise reduction earphones.

Most of the time, patients are given premeds (to prevent sickness) which also include steroids and other chemicals that will typically induce sleep.

My first trips for chemo were filled with uncertainty which created unnecessary stress and anxiety.  My infusions were given in my arm through the most convenient vein that the nurses could find and oftentimes I would be stuck 2-3 times before a cooperative vein could be found.

If one needed to use the restroom, then the device holding the liquid chemo had to be unplugged from the wall, and since it was on rollers could be fairly easily pushed into the bathroom, but it was still uncomfortable to do so with a needle in one's arm.  Patients are told to flush twice because of all the toxins that are being eliminated.

After a very uncomfortable sticking experience that occurred around my 10th year of receiving chemo, I decided to get a port.  It was a simple surgical procedure but it took my body about 6 months to get used to the device in my chest when I was sleeping.

The needle is about 2 inches long that is used to access the port and it only hurts a lot when they stick it in, but the Oncologist can prescribe a cream that is applied about an hour before the stick that will successfully numb the area.  I typically use the cream, but if and when I forget, if I breathe in deeply when the needle it going in, the pain is reduced.

Most infusion suites have blankets for the patients that are sensitive to cold environments especially since all infusion suites are kept cold rather than warm.

If you ever had to go to an infusion suite either as a guest or a patient prepare to be bored...