What did you do with your port after having it removed?

EllenaMaria
EllenaMaria Member Posts: 69
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My port was really small, guess they came in two sizes. I had a really nice, and quite handsome younger doctor put it in. His entire staff was so nice to me. We talked about Smurfs the whole procedure, well except the minutes I got really sleepy, because the blue dye they rubbed all over me made me feel like a Smurf. I requested same doctor to remove it because he did such a good job installing it.

After the procedure I asked if I could have it back. I told them I wanted to drive over it with my car. They told me it was Titanium so I might have to use a hammer. Well, I had to return a few weeks later because the internal stitch started poking out. The doc came in so I decided to show him and the staff what I ended up doing with my port. I put it on my keychain, it is really pretty purple. I figured as long as I kept it somewhere else it would never have to be put back inside me. They all thought it was the most unusual thing they ever heard of.

I have shown it to friends who saw it under my skin. I think it gives a better reality to them of just what I have gone through. Oh, and yes I cleaned it really good. lol

Comments

  • pinkkari09
    pinkkari09 Member Posts: 877
    #2
    Great idea. If I ever get
    Great idea. If I ever get my port out, I think I'll keep it too, all my friends really freak out when they see the thing bulging out of my chest. Love this idea.
  • aztec45
    aztec45 Member Posts: 757
    #3
    Cool
    I shall keep that in mind. I still have mine just in case my cancer rears its ugly head again. I just go and have it flushed. It gives me a chance to see my cancer center friends. Take care.
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #4
    pinkkari09 said:

    Great idea. If I ever get
    Great idea. If I ever get my port out, I think I'll keep it too, all my friends really freak out when they see the thing bulging out of my chest. Love this idea.

    Really great idea!


    Hugs, Angie
  • EllenaMaria
    EllenaMaria Member Posts: 69
    #5
    aztec45 said:

    Cool
    I shall keep that in mind. I still have mine just in case my cancer rears its ugly head again. I just go and have it flushed. It gives me a chance to see my cancer center friends. Take care.

    My best worst enemy.
    That is what I named my port. I use a lot of phrases like that. There seems to be a lot of horrible things about cancer that strangely are good. My tumor was small, stage one but the nuclear grade was 8, stage 2. But chemo goes after fast growing cells so that is good. As much as I loathed having a port it made treatment so much better/safer. So, my worst best enemy.

    I also thought of having my tatoo from radiation turned into a tiny heart or a swirl of my kids initials, two Ss intertwined. It is just left of center between my breasts.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #6
    EllenaMaria said:

    My best worst enemy.
    That is what I named my port. I use a lot of phrases like that. There seems to be a lot of horrible things about cancer that strangely are good. My tumor was small, stage one but the nuclear grade was 8, stage 2. But chemo goes after fast growing cells so that is good. As much as I loathed having a port it made treatment so much better/safer. So, my worst best enemy.

    I also thought of having my tatoo from radiation turned into a tiny heart or a swirl of my kids initials, two Ss intertwined. It is just left of center between my breasts.

    Best Friend
    I have to disagree (for me anyway) I would call my port my 'best friend' if I gave 'names' to in-animent objects (it's just 'my port'). It allowed me to have 16 infusion without any damage to my veins - had great veins before Chemo and still have great veins after Chemo. The Tech that does most of my blood draws insists that I have someone else's veins as they're not a woman's veins but a man's LOL.

    My port has been in since Aug. 25, '09 and as plans are now, it will be in for much longer - just in case. I figured when/if it ever comes out, it will just be thrown in the trash as after that length of time IN the body, I think it'd be pretty 'grody'.

    This is probably quite bizarre to many but I see it sort of as my permanent 'dog tag' - each one has it's own number registered to 'you'. I'm a rather outdoor person who takes off and goes where ever I feel like. You hear of 'Jane Doe's' being found in strange places and they can't be identified - well port would be found with me (I doubt that a murderer would think of cutting a port out before dumping a body) and wild animals probably wouldn't mess with it -so I could be identified. Like I said - BIZARRE thinking.

    Silly Susan
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #7
    EllenaMaria said:

    My best worst enemy.
    That is what I named my port. I use a lot of phrases like that. There seems to be a lot of horrible things about cancer that strangely are good. My tumor was small, stage one but the nuclear grade was 8, stage 2. But chemo goes after fast growing cells so that is good. As much as I loathed having a port it made treatment so much better/safer. So, my worst best enemy.

    I also thought of having my tatoo from radiation turned into a tiny heart or a swirl of my kids initials, two Ss intertwined. It is just left of center between my breasts.

    No chemo, so, no port for
    No chemo, so, no port for me. What you did with yours really made me laugh. Glad you found a place for it.


    Hugs, Debby
  • faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy
    faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy Member Posts: 319 Member
    #8
    DebbyM said:

    No chemo, so, no port for
    No chemo, so, no port for me. What you did with yours really made me laugh. Glad you found a place for it.


    Hugs, Debby

    Dear Martha Stewart...
    I'm scheduled to have my port removed this Friday, the 21st. My daughter LOVES the idea of making a key chain that she can hang from her backpack...but I have to promise to wash it before she will.

    I love your idea.
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #9
    faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy said:

    Dear Martha Stewart...
    I'm scheduled to have my port removed this Friday, the 21st. My daughter LOVES the idea of making a key chain that she can hang from her backpack...but I have to promise to wash it before she will.

    I love your idea.

    LOL! Your idea really made
    LOL! Your idea made me smile. I can just imagine it hanging on your key chain.

    You pink sisters are just great!

    And, good luck on the 21 st Faith_Trust_ and!


    ♥ Noel
  • EllenaMaria
    EllenaMaria Member Posts: 69
    #10
    Noel said:

    LOL! Your idea really made
    LOL! Your idea made me smile. I can just imagine it hanging on your key chain.

    You pink sisters are just great!

    And, good luck on the 21 st Faith_Trust_ and!


    ♥ Noel

    Wash it good.
    Faith- my surgical guy gave it to me in a jar marked "biohazzard". He laughed when he handed it to me. He said he cleaned it pretty good but recommended a good soaking at home. My 9yr son loves looking to see the tiny holes in the rubber part. Wishing you the best with the removal and also with your next phase.

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