First Chemo day was Crappie !!!!! Messed up port!!

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idlehunters
idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hey amigos!
I spent all night last night with an ice pack on my port because I was in such pain. They had told me before I had left the hospital that I wouldn't be needing anything for pain..... NOT!
M.D.Anderson did not have an available doctor to do the procedure so they had to send me across the street to St. Luke's to have it done. I wasn't happy about that either.

Anyway, arrived at MDA at 7am for blood tests. Went to area for chemo after that. They took one look at my red,swollen, and painful port (it also had a little blood coming from it) and sent me to infusion for a specialist to install the needle. She couldn't even touch it without me just about screaming. They sent me to x-ray to make sure it was installed correctly. It was. They then sent me back to see the GI triage nurse to get some Vicodin for the pain so they could get the needle it. Went there and all they would give me was 1 pill.... which done nothing... I am not a small woman. Went back to "specialist" and seen a different one this time. She was a life saver. When she seen my port she immediately said it had to be cleaned. It could be trying to get infected. She cleaned it all up and put meds on it. She said the port was installed directly under the incision and there was no way they would touch that until it was healed and then it could be accessed there. However, I had to start chemo today since my flight is leaving out of here Sunday. She turned me on to a "pick line"??? ..... and I had a temporary one of those put in. Not bad.

Finally, ... after another x-ray... they sent me for my chemo. I didn't have any problems there but it was almost 9:30pm by the time we left. OMG.... what a day!!! I live and learn. So I thought I would share that with you all. It's a little after 2am... time to watch a movie...cya!

Jennie

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  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #2
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    Glad your OK now....
    Are you in Texas now or back in Illinois.............oops sorry just saw it...leaving out Sunday...have a good week hun......see ya back in Illinois soon........
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #3
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    hard first round
    Jennie,
    Yikes! So sorry you had such a hard 1st round. I hope you were able to unwind a bit with your movie.
    Thinking of you.
    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #4
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    Hi Jennie
    I guess it can only get easier from now on? Sorry you had all of those issues, it does not sound like fun.
    -phil
  • mom_2_3
    mom_2_3 Member Posts: 953 Member
    #5
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    Sorry you had a rough day
    Sorry to hear that your day didn't go too well. Was the port inserted at MDA?

    I am glad they were able to start your treatment. My thoughts are with you!

    Amy
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #6
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    mom_2_3 said:

    Sorry you had a rough day
    Sorry to hear that your day didn't go too well. Was the port inserted at MDA?

    I am glad they were able to start your treatment. My thoughts are with you!

    Amy

    Awwww,
    Sorry to hear about the first start of the port, man, they actually gave me a few weeks of healing for it to access it right away, I was lucky there, they could have actually spared you that, I didn't start chemo till like a few weeks after the port was put in, she wanted it to be comfortable, but hopefully your next round won't be so bad! I haven't had any problems, knock on wood with my port, except needing some declotting, to get blood out of it, but that was nothing, I don't even feel it there anymore, it will get better with time, don't worry.

    Hugssss!
    ~Donna
  • idlehunters
    idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
    #7
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    Shayenne said:

    Awwww,
    Sorry to hear about the first start of the port, man, they actually gave me a few weeks of healing for it to access it right away, I was lucky there, they could have actually spared you that, I didn't start chemo till like a few weeks after the port was put in, she wanted it to be comfortable, but hopefully your next round won't be so bad! I haven't had any problems, knock on wood with my port, except needing some declotting, to get blood out of it, but that was nothing, I don't even feel it there anymore, it will get better with time, don't worry.

    Hugssss!
    ~Donna

    Port
    I know from what you all have said that one day that port will be my best friend. Good things come to those who wait???

    seeeeya

    Jennie
  • grandma2selena
    grandma2selena Member Posts: 199
    #8
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    Sooo Sorry
    I am so sorry you had such a tough time. I know my sister-in-law was told they could not give her chemo until the incission healed, but I don't know where her port actually was to her incission. Mine was quite a few inches from my incission. I can't believe they didn't give you something for pain, my surgeon always made sure I had something to take after placement and removal of the port. I sure hope things go easier for you next time around.
  • JR
    JR Member Posts: 139 Member
    #9
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    Port
    Hi Jennie,
    Did they have a rookie put in your port ? My port is above the incision. Port was installed early on a Monday morning and accessed for chemo two hours later. I think your mechanic errrr Doctor screwed up. Did he/she know you were having chemo the same day ? Anyway, sorry to hear that it went so bad. Get some sleep. Good luck.

    John
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #10
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    JR said:

    Port
    Hi Jennie,
    Did they have a rookie put in your port ? My port is above the incision. Port was installed early on a Monday morning and accessed for chemo two hours later. I think your mechanic errrr Doctor screwed up. Did he/she know you were having chemo the same day ? Anyway, sorry to hear that it went so bad. Get some sleep. Good luck.

    John

    Sorry
    So sorry you had such a rough day with the port and the chemo. Is this just a one day chemo or are you staying there fore more? You said you were leaving on Sunday so I wasn't sure. I hope all goes well for you from now on. Yes the port is the easiest access. Make sure you get some numbing medicine to put on it before they access it again. It does make is painless. Have a safe trip home.

    Kim
  • christellabelle
    christellabelle Member Posts: 24
    #11
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    Sorry you had such a bad day...
    This is not something you shoud have to go through for your first chemo, i mean fear and anxiety is enough to deal with for the first time. but im so glad you made it and at the end this is what count the most. Kuddos 2 u!!
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #12
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    Needle
    Be sure to ask for the small needle, they used a big one last treatment and it hurt like hell, this time around, I got the smaller needle and it was a tiny prick and that was much better then the bigger one!
  • kimby
    kimby Member Posts: 797
    #13
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    Wow
    Nothing seems to be going smoothly for you out there! Get home where you can be safe, LOL. I'm thinking of you and hope things are better from here on out. Maybe you are just getting the crap out of the way early for an easy time later. Hang in there, friend.

    Hugs,

    Kimby
  • idlehunters
    idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
    #14
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    kimby said:

    Wow
    Nothing seems to be going smoothly for you out there! Get home where you can be safe, LOL. I'm thinking of you and hope things are better from here on out. Maybe you are just getting the crap out of the way early for an easy time later. Hang in there, friend.

    Hugs,

    Kimby

    Thanks
    Thanks Guys!

    I am beating feet outta here Sunday. I just don't know if I am going to return for those 2 months of treatment or not.... got a lot to think about.... as always.... thank you all for your support

    Jennie

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