Pain in the arm

Sloane Stephens defeated Heather Watson at the French Open

I got settled in to watch the French Open on my computer during photopheresis yesterday, but I was unable to concentrate due to the pain where the needle had entered my arm.

My nurse for the day said it was OK to use the same arm as the day before, therefore we did my left arm again so I could have the right one free. Maybe that was a problem.

She put a warm pack on it but still the pain continued. She told me the blood was flowing nicely and she didn't want to change it.

After two Tylenols failed to help, I asked for an oxycodone. Although it is on my med list, a minor hullaballoo ensued. My nurse said I could just take it when I got home, which obviously would not solve the problem of pain that threatened to last three hours.

I tried with my free hand to email my social worker so she could come over and explain to them that although I use it sparingly, oxycodone is preferred for me over Tylenol and Advil in certain circumstances. This hardly ever happens, but tears started to roll down my face. Finally the physician's assistant got me five milligrams. By this time it was near the end of the procedure, so it had just begun to kick in when my time was up.

At least I laughed out loud when watching the latest "The Daily Show" episode.

Afterwards, a different nurse came over and said the needle must have hit a nerve. She added that it really should have been moved.

Well, today I am off to New York for  a weekend with friends from Friends. We are going to take a walking tour of Harlem, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, have dinner at one of our standbys, Deux Amis, and also at Don't Tell Mama, followed by cabaret in the bar.

I hope to leave thoughts of needles behind.