My Port

WARNING  This post includes detailed information about needles and a has picture of me showing my surgery site.  If you are sensitive, you may want to skip the post.

My port was placed in March 2011 for the purpose of receiving chemo.  My cancer had spread to my lymph nodes and I am supposed to be extra careful with my right arm, meaning not using the right side for needles or blood pressure.  If I were to get an infection it could lead to permanent swelling of the arm and the need to wear a compression sleeve.  No thank you.

The port also saved my viens.  Having had 16 doses of chemo, the drugs are so powerful they can destroy your viens.  The port saved me from this.

The port was connected into a major vein very close to my heart.  There was quite a procedure involved in accessing it.  The area had to be cleaned with 2 or 3 different cleaners.  Then a special needle was inserted.  The line had to be flushed with a saline solution, which I could taste.  This was not very pleasant.  After accessing the port, they would again inject something to help the blood clot and I would taste it too.

The port worked wonderfully for chemo.

Because it was inside my body, it was necessary to have it flushed every 6 to 8 weeks.  This involved a trip back to the chemo room and tasting the saline.  It was not a pleasant experience for me.  In fact it brought back the feelings of naesea too.  I liked to take an anxiety pill when I had to do this, but often I was driving myself and it really isn't a good idea to take those pills and then drive.  My most recent port flushes have ended in tears.  It has just been a flood of emotions as the needle pierces my skin.

My oncologist likes to wait until you are a year past your last chemo treatment to even consider having it removed.  My last chemo was Aug 31, 2011.  As I went in to have my 6 month check up, he ordered a body scan and as along as everything came back I would be permitted to have my port removed.  I had the scan and everything was good.  There was some scar tissues in the breast and they could see the effects of radiation, all those things were expected, but nothing was growing.  I was permitted to get my port out.

I only had to call my surgeon, Dr Newlin and setup an appointment for a consultation and then get on his list for surgery.  I love my surgeon.  Several times when I was in having radiation the people working on me had a hard time seeing my scar.  This is quite a compliment to the surgeon.  One of the girls giving me a mammogram even complimented him and said that 5 years out you would hardly see my scar he was that good.  I even wrote him a hand written thank you note telling him all the compliments I get on my scars.

When I went into see Dr Newlin, he mentioned that I would feel some tugging as he was taking out the port.  I told him I was a little nervous watching him cut into me.  He told me there would be a drape over my chest going to the ceiling that I wouldn't be able to see a thing.  He then offered to sedate me, and after a moment of hesitation I said yes.  Modern medicine was invented for our good.

My Mom offered to take the day off of school and be my driver.  They only use twilight sedation.  The last time they did this, I crawled off the table but I have no memory of this.  I mentioned to my mom we should go get manicures afterwards.

The day of the surgery I had to be at the surgical center at 7:30 and was scheduled for a time slot of 9 am.  The surgery itself would take 20 minutes.  As soon as I awoke and took a few swallows of gingerale they were moving me out the door.



I had a wonderful day with my mom, something that as one of 5 kids I cherish the alone time with her.  We went and got our nails done, went to lunch and then did shopping.  It was a really nice day.



As I write this it is 3 weeks post surgery and everything is healing quite nicely.  They went in the same spot that they put in, so no new scar tissue. There really isn't much to see, I snapped a picture but didn't think it was worth posting.