Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Port Removal

June 17, 2009



Alleluia!!

It is out!!

I started the day skipping breakfast and having drop off all my girls to their appropriate locations. My 3 year old and the baby went to daycare (as my 3 year old calls it "Lunch School"), and my 13 year old went to band camp (her first day of High School). So after getting to work a little late, I worked about an hour and a half until I left for the hospital. I met Chris at work and he drove me to the hospital.

We got there at 10:30 and after checking in at admissions, I went to radiology and waited for my turn. About 10 minutes later, Chris and I were walked back to the rooms with a nurse who congratulated me for getting through chemo. She said that this was going to be so much easier than putting it in. There will be no IV, no sedation, just a slit and pull it out....

What??

No IV?? No drugs? No sedation?? What the heck is up that?!!!

I started getting anxious then, I HATE the lidocaine shots, they burn and it hurts. The nurse (seeing my obvious anxiety when she brought me to my room) brought me some Valium. Didn't really get a chance to work when they brought me in and wheeled me out to the operating room.

The group that took my port out, was the same group that put it in. And as soon as they saw Jordan (who of course came with me) they started laughing and remembered me. I was brought into the room, and they asked me turn my head to the left, they didn't even have to move me to the operating table, they just did the surgery on the bed they rolled me in on. I was draped with four blue drapes and my skin was cleaned. The doctor came in and started with the lidocaine. It hurt like hell. I yelled and cried (a little bit).

He cut my skin and pulled the catheter out of the vein and then proceeded pull out the port. He asked if I wanted it. HECK YEAH I do!!

He washed the empty pocket out, then I was stitched up, congratulated again and then I was wheeled back into the recovery room. It took no more than 30 minutes. I came home and went to bed. I am doing good, I am happy that it is out. It does still hurt, but I am sure it will get better.

2 comments:

  1. Congrats to you (3 years late, but I just saw your post). I still have mine in after 4 years with no insurance, and no full time job, so not much income. It has been blocked for 2 years now, and I really want it out. I am so envious. Hope you are still well.

    Chris

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