The Buzzy- a device that stops the pain of a shot!!!!

If you have been following my journey with Ovarian Cancer, you probably know how tired I am right now. My body is physically tired and so is my mind. One of the biggest problems I have been experiencing has been with my veins. I have only one place they can stick me for blood or lab tests outside of my CT Port, my right arm. The veins in my right arm are so jacked up and damaged from the hundreds of needle sticks I have had in the last two years that drawing my blood has become a really, really painful experience!!! I have had days where they have made me cry and days where I flat did not want to even let them touch me to take blood.

The blood draw/IV thing is a real problem for me. My doctor convinced me to get a CT rated port,  a device that runs a tube from an artery/vein to a device under your skin that they can plug a needle in to.This way they can take your blood without much effort. The doctor explained that once I had the port, they would just use that to take my blood and start my IV's. As it turns out , he was not really telling me the truth.  First of all, if you have a port, the only people who can access it must be certified to do so. Many nurses and doctors are not certified to access your port  so you either have to locate one who is, or let them stick you in the arm.  I have actually been in the Emergency room several times and only once did they have someone willing to set an IV using my port. Many times they have had to stick me in the arm 7 or 8 times before they could get a needle set. Secondly, many folks who we cancer patients have to deal with regularly will not touch the port at all certified or not. If they have to "draw your port" , they will just tell you they can't treat you and send you back to your cancer doctor. I think they feel the risk of infection is just too great. Finally, they don't tell you that while the port is a one needle stick experience- it still hurts. And trust me,  if your port moves under the skin and they have to move it back in position you will wish you were under anesthesia!!!!

For months I have been trying methods to short circuit the pain I have when they stick me in the arm. I tried ice, meditation, prayer, and popping pain killer before I go to treatment. None of my attempts at pain control worked. So I was really excited to see the inventor of a device called "The Buzzy" on the Jeff Probst show this summer.  As soon as I saw the device, I wanted to try it. However, when I went to their web site I found that the one I needed was going to be $59.00 plus shipping . I mentioned it to my friend, Meg, and told her I was saving up to get one for myself . She took the matter in to her own hands and called the President of the company that makes " The Buzzy" and got them to send one to her! I owe her a big thank you!  After several foiled attempts at using it in the past three weeks, I finally drew my favorite phlebotomist, Adrian. I showed her how it was supposed to work and she said "lets try it" . So we used the ice and then turned it on , she then took one stick and drew my blood. I cannot tell you how great it was, the key is that it took her one stick to get my blood! It also just hurt a little bit!!! I am sure if I did not have the veins of a habitual heroin junky, it would not have hurt at all. Now I just have to convince the other phlebotomists to let me use it and I will be in business.

The cool thing is "The Buzzy" is a device you can use if you are afraid of needles or if you have a child who hates shots. The woman who designed the device is a Pediatrician named, Amy Baxter. She has a child that was really freaked out by shots. Here is the link:

http://www.buzzy4shots.com/

This is the Buzzy. It has wings you freeze and the body vibrates to stop pain.