Not A Good Day For Me Or My Port

What is supposed to be a convenience has turned into a royal pain. I have become a head case over it. Some of my fears are irrational. That doesn’t mean they’re not real.

port-catheter

After my Whipple and before chemotherapy began I had a port catheter surgically implanted in my chest. The concept is simple. Around the size of a bottle cap with a catheter to my main artery, the port is a permanent easy connection to my bloodstream.

In practice it hasn’t worked out that way at all.

What is supposed to be a convenience has turned into a royal pain. I have become a head case over it. Some of my fears are irrational. That doesn’t mean they’re not real.

A quick recap for those of you who lived through the sixties. After its insertion the area around my port remained bruised and sensitive for a few weeks. I avoided touching it at all costs. After my last chemo treatment we had trouble controlling its bleeding.

At first today the port allowed infusions but no drawing of blood. A few hours later it was doing neither. Why? No easy answer.

I am upset but I will get over it. Being angry won’t help. That’s the natural inclination, of course.

Tomorrow it’s back to the Treatment Center. I never got the chemo today! Unless something radical changes they will have to tap my arm — exactly what a port was supposed to prevent.

As for the port, it might need to be seen by “Interventional Radiology.” Sighhhhhhhhh.

Did I mention I’ll get over it. Just not yet.

9 thoughts on “Not A Good Day For Me Or My Port”

  1. Hi Geoff,

    So sorry this is happening. I was suspect when you had trouble with pain after it was put in. The port is supposed to be a “blessing” and it was for my mother. I hope you get it resolved soon! I hope this is the biggest issue throughout your ordeal.

  2. I’m so sorry to read about your troubles Geoff….it sounds like a
    MAJOR frustration. My husband’s port ever worked very well…hoping
    they can straighten your issues out and all will work as its supposed
    to. God bless you Geoff…..

  3. hey Geoff when i worked in CT i was the “queen” of ports, sometimes they worked, sometimes not ( like anything put in ur body….) think positive, the RN’s i am sure know all the tricks to try and make it work properly and this may or maynot ever happen again. I remember one lady whose Port would never give blood when she got chemo, we would do everything we knew to make it work to give blood, she went to IR they made sure it was right….then when she finished chemo everytime we accessed it it gave blood? Could never figure that out…..

  4. Hey Geoff – let’s apply what people like to say: “anything good is never easy”. It’s going to get good. Believe! you’ve got this!

  5. I am so sorry Geoff, I have seen this with my son Rob and he was never happy about it, just like you! ( It hurt, it was sore, did not work) I think they had to give him a new one at one point. At the end of 17 months in Boston he would fix his own port if there was a problem with it, when e was up there… He was back to CT & still would fixs it if her needed to.. So maybe they will give you a new one on and let that one get better? This is no fun that is for sure, but I think what you are doing on line, face book, and the records are all great. I really think you are helping a lot of people; many going through the same Treatments as you! I know if I have to go though anything; I would be right here reading & writing to you. Be Strong, AS YOU HAVE BEEN… You will be better real soon… God bless you Geoff….. Marie

  6. I am so sorry Geoff, I have seen this with my son Rob and he was never happy about it, just like you! ( It hurt, it was sore, did not work) I think they had to give him a new one at one point. At the end of 17 months in Boston he would fix his own port if there was a problem with it, when e was up there… He was back to CT & still would fixs it if her needed to.. So maybe they will give you a new one on and let that one get better? This is no fun that is for sure, but I think what you are doing on line, face book, and the records are all great. I really think you are helping a lot of people; many going through the same Treatments as you! I know if I have to go though anything; I would be right here reading & writing to you. Be Strong, AS YOU HAVE BEEN… You will be better real soon… God bless you Geoff….. Marie

  7. So sorry for your problem and your frustration. I hope there’s an easy fix for the port. Hang in there my thoughts and prayers are with you!

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