Cheryl Hutch
Comments
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Thanks!unknown said:This comment has been removed by the Moderator
Thanks, Anne! I hope it goes quickly and smoothly and I'm back home by early afternoon
They told me I'd be there for 2-3 hours... well, I go there for 9:45, so I expect to be out of there no later than 12:45pm and home by 1pm
Graci... that wouldn't surprise me! When I last had this done, I couldn't lift my right arm for about a week to 10 days. My right boob scared me... it was totally purple on one side. Turns out, that is not uncommon... the boob is where blood pools during this surgery. As for the useless arm... it wasn't because of the boob but because the port is actually anchored to a muscle under the collarbone. The port is stitched to the muscle to keep it in place. So it is the muscle that is actually hurting when the arm moves.
Soooo, I'm going in there prepared for the same effects and if I don't have them this time, then all the better
Ciao for now!
Cheryl0 -
hi Cheryl
Hi Cheryl,
I'll be thinking of you as you get that port put in again. Ugh, huh? Here we go again, but I know you're ready to kick butt and be your strong, sassy self with all this
You can do it & I know you will, with all your spirit and spunk!
Hang in there- I'll be looking to see those nasty little nodules start shrinking soon!
Hugs,
Lisa0 -
Another hospital visitCherylHutch said:Thanks!
Thanks, Anne! I hope it goes quickly and smoothly and I'm back home by early afternoon They told me I'd be there for 2-3 hours... well, I go there for 9:45, so I expect to be out of there no later than 12:45pm and home by 1pm
Graci... that wouldn't surprise me! When I last had this done, I couldn't lift my right arm for about a week to 10 days. My right boob scared me... it was totally purple on one side. Turns out, that is not uncommon... the boob is where blood pools during this surgery. As for the useless arm... it wasn't because of the boob but because the port is actually anchored to a muscle under the collarbone. The port is stitched to the muscle to keep it in place. So it is the muscle that is actually hurting when the arm moves.
Soooo, I'm going in there prepared for the same effects and if I don't have them this time, then all the better
Ciao for now!
Cheryl
Hope the surgery goes well.
cheers,
Pete0 -
cheryllisa42 said:hi Cheryl
Hi Cheryl,
I'll be thinking of you as you get that port put in again. Ugh, huh? Here we go again, but I know you're ready to kick butt and be your strong, sassy self with all this
You can do it & I know you will, with all your spirit and spunk!
Hang in there- I'll be looking to see those nasty little nodules start shrinking soon!
Hugs,
Lisa
dear girlfriend.....I hope it all goes so well today! I know you have not been looking forward to it....good to get er over with....and hopefully the pain won't be too bad
no rambling and no flirting with really really young doctors.....they all look young to me these days....
hugs girl......sending a timmies and another hug
mags0 -
Hey Cheryl
Thinking of you and wishing you well
Jim0 -
CherylFriendinpenn said:Hey Cheryl
Thinking of you and wishing you well
Jim
Thinking about you today and hoping everything went well with port placement. The one good thing about having it done now is you will be pretty well healed up before starting chemo. I was fortunate that my onc is a little firebrand she insisted that they move me up on the schedule for port placement because she wanted me healed up before starting chemo. She has been a very good advocate for me.
You asked me in my other thread how often I have chemo. Thought it would be easier to answer here. I go every 2 weeks it takes about 4 hours give or take a few minutes. Depends on how busy the pharmacy is at the center I get treatment at. I'm kind of an old timer there now so I tend get taken care of quickly. The pre-meds I get take about 30 minutes,then the iriontecan takes 90 minutes and the vectibix an hour. The one thing I did want to mention to you is that the iriontecan can cause stomach cramping. My onc gives me atropine with my pre-meds for this. It took awhile to get the dose right for me. It slows down the gut and at first caused terrible constipation for me.But, my onc kept adjusting the dose until we got it right, I now have no cramps or any problems with diarrhea. The biggest issue for me is a little fatigue about 3 days after infusion and dry skin. I should just try to live in a vat of lotion I guess. Well I didn't mean to hijack this thread but wanted to let you know that you are on my mind and hoping all went well today.
Deb
P.S. Have always wanted to visit Vancover it looks absolutely beautiful. I live in boring little Kansas more cows than people here. LOL0 -
Thanks, everyone!!
Surgical procedure went great! Ok, so they were running behind (how can they be 2 hours behind at 9:45am??), and I didn't bring my book with me, so I was bored for 2 hours before going into the prep room. And it's not as if I could go for a walk outside the hospital because by fluke, it was snowing this morning! Somehow I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be wandering around in the snow, shuffling along in my Crocs I have a gorgeous pair of black and olive green Crocs... but they aren't really all that great as snow footwear 
Anywho... the surgical experience was like night and day compared to when I got the port back in March 2007. For starters, it's waaaaay smaller than the last one I had. I forget what the name was of the one I had but this Power Port looked way different and it was installed differently. The catheter part was put in my neck... the port itself was in the exact same spot as the old one (he cut along the same scar line). BUT, whereas the last surgeon anchored the port to a muscle, this surgeon anchored it to "tissue"... and I can so tell the difference tonight because I can move my right arm very easily!
Yes, it is tender tonight (the local anesthetic has long worn off)... there are actually two tender spots... where the port has been inserted and the small cut in the neck. The surgeon in 2007 had stapled the wound shut, whereas Dr. Joel Gagnon used dissolvable stitches (I don't even have to go in to a doctor to have them taken out). Dr. Gagnon's bedside manner was 100% better than the surgeon in 2007. Ok, it did sort of start in the hallway when the nurses put on the funny bathing cap looking hats and put one on me. I said, "Awwright... we all get to wear party hats?" and that set the mood for the OR room. I had 4 nurses plus Dr. Gagnon, so while the nurses were prepping me, I said, "We all are wearing our party hats but who is in charge of the cocktails?? Doctor!!!???" but before he could answer one of the nurses shows the syringes with the sedation meds, laughs and says, "No worries! I've got the cocktails!!" So then the doctor chimes in and says we should all be sharing these... after all, he admitted that he would make the worst patient. He hates needles. I told him that we could help him over that fear... wanna trade places??
Once we got underway, he was brilliant. He made sure I was comfortable and that the sedation was working so that I wasn't anxious or nervous (which I wasn't... yet, I didn't feel drugged or sleepy, either). The whole time he did the procedure, he talked to me and told me what he was doing, what I could expect, when I would feel a tug or a poke or some pressure. Nothing he did hurt or in any way caused discomfort... and the procedure was very quick (maybe 20 - 25 minutes?).
The real eye opener was when I asked him why he decided to become a surgeon. He said he had grown up on a farm in Quebec and always was interested in repairing animals, broken bones, problems that required some kind of procedure and then liked to see these animals recover. Of course, this led me to asking, "So why not become a veterinarian?" but he said by the time he got out of high school he had moved on from wanting to help animals to helping humans and making a difference in peoples' lives. I then asked him how many years he had to study/train/go to school to become the surgeon he is today... and he said 12 year! 12 years??? But I could have sworn he was no more than 8 years old!! They are sooooo young now!! That means, at the youngest, he had to be in his early 30s.... seriously, he looked like he was still in high school
Needless to say, we had a very enjoyable time... all of us. Like I say, tonight it was tender, enough that it might keep me awake, but I took my usual evening prescription Tylenol #3s for my arthritis and my 150mg Lyrica for the nerve damage in my legs/feet... and voila, the tenderness is not so tender... at least not noticeable. So I have a good feeling that by the weekend I'm going to be back to my usual self
So there you have it... an adventure getting the Power Port put in
Cheryl0 -
wow, sounds great!CherylHutch said:Thanks, everyone!!
Surgical procedure went great! Ok, so they were running behind (how can they be 2 hours behind at 9:45am??), and I didn't bring my book with me, so I was bored for 2 hours before going into the prep room. And it's not as if I could go for a walk outside the hospital because by fluke, it was snowing this morning! Somehow I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be wandering around in the snow, shuffling along in my Crocs I have a gorgeous pair of black and olive green Crocs... but they aren't really all that great as snow footwear
Anywho... the surgical experience was like night and day compared to when I got the port back in March 2007. For starters, it's waaaaay smaller than the last one I had. I forget what the name was of the one I had but this Power Port looked way different and it was installed differently. The catheter part was put in my neck... the port itself was in the exact same spot as the old one (he cut along the same scar line). BUT, whereas the last surgeon anchored the port to a muscle, this surgeon anchored it to "tissue"... and I can so tell the difference tonight because I can move my right arm very easily!
Yes, it is tender tonight (the local anesthetic has long worn off)... there are actually two tender spots... where the port has been inserted and the small cut in the neck. The surgeon in 2007 had stapled the wound shut, whereas Dr. Joel Gagnon used dissolvable stitches (I don't even have to go in to a doctor to have them taken out). Dr. Gagnon's bedside manner was 100% better than the surgeon in 2007. Ok, it did sort of start in the hallway when the nurses put on the funny bathing cap looking hats and put one on me. I said, "Awwright... we all get to wear party hats?" and that set the mood for the OR room. I had 4 nurses plus Dr. Gagnon, so while the nurses were prepping me, I said, "We all are wearing our party hats but who is in charge of the cocktails?? Doctor!!!???" but before he could answer one of the nurses shows the syringes with the sedation meds, laughs and says, "No worries! I've got the cocktails!!" So then the doctor chimes in and says we should all be sharing these... after all, he admitted that he would make the worst patient. He hates needles. I told him that we could help him over that fear... wanna trade places??
Once we got underway, he was brilliant. He made sure I was comfortable and that the sedation was working so that I wasn't anxious or nervous (which I wasn't... yet, I didn't feel drugged or sleepy, either). The whole time he did the procedure, he talked to me and told me what he was doing, what I could expect, when I would feel a tug or a poke or some pressure. Nothing he did hurt or in any way caused discomfort... and the procedure was very quick (maybe 20 - 25 minutes?).
The real eye opener was when I asked him why he decided to become a surgeon. He said he had grown up on a farm in Quebec and always was interested in repairing animals, broken bones, problems that required some kind of procedure and then liked to see these animals recover. Of course, this led me to asking, "So why not become a veterinarian?" but he said by the time he got out of high school he had moved on from wanting to help animals to helping humans and making a difference in peoples' lives. I then asked him how many years he had to study/train/go to school to become the surgeon he is today... and he said 12 year! 12 years??? But I could have sworn he was no more than 8 years old!! They are sooooo young now!! That means, at the youngest, he had to be in his early 30s.... seriously, he looked like he was still in high school
Needless to say, we had a very enjoyable time... all of us. Like I say, tonight it was tender, enough that it might keep me awake, but I took my usual evening prescription Tylenol #3s for my arthritis and my 150mg Lyrica for the nerve damage in my legs/feet... and voila, the tenderness is not so tender... at least not noticeable. So I have a good feeling that by the weekend I'm going to be back to my usual self
So there you have it... an adventure getting the Power Port put in
Cheryl
Although I don't think I would want to be awake, sounds like you had a very positive experience, especially considering the tough time you had the last time!
mary0 -
goodmsccolon said:wow, sounds great!
Although I don't think I would want to be awake, sounds like you had a very positive experience, especially considering the tough time you had the last time!
mary
well done you! I am so relieved that went well for you Cheryl....you gotta love those Doogie Howser moments.....haha my liver surgeon is sooooo sweet
enjoy the weekend .....with a hug
mags0 -
CherylCherylHutch said:Thanks, everyone!!
Surgical procedure went great! Ok, so they were running behind (how can they be 2 hours behind at 9:45am??), and I didn't bring my book with me, so I was bored for 2 hours before going into the prep room. And it's not as if I could go for a walk outside the hospital because by fluke, it was snowing this morning! Somehow I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be wandering around in the snow, shuffling along in my Crocs I have a gorgeous pair of black and olive green Crocs... but they aren't really all that great as snow footwear
Anywho... the surgical experience was like night and day compared to when I got the port back in March 2007. For starters, it's waaaaay smaller than the last one I had. I forget what the name was of the one I had but this Power Port looked way different and it was installed differently. The catheter part was put in my neck... the port itself was in the exact same spot as the old one (he cut along the same scar line). BUT, whereas the last surgeon anchored the port to a muscle, this surgeon anchored it to "tissue"... and I can so tell the difference tonight because I can move my right arm very easily!
Yes, it is tender tonight (the local anesthetic has long worn off)... there are actually two tender spots... where the port has been inserted and the small cut in the neck. The surgeon in 2007 had stapled the wound shut, whereas Dr. Joel Gagnon used dissolvable stitches (I don't even have to go in to a doctor to have them taken out). Dr. Gagnon's bedside manner was 100% better than the surgeon in 2007. Ok, it did sort of start in the hallway when the nurses put on the funny bathing cap looking hats and put one on me. I said, "Awwright... we all get to wear party hats?" and that set the mood for the OR room. I had 4 nurses plus Dr. Gagnon, so while the nurses were prepping me, I said, "We all are wearing our party hats but who is in charge of the cocktails?? Doctor!!!???" but before he could answer one of the nurses shows the syringes with the sedation meds, laughs and says, "No worries! I've got the cocktails!!" So then the doctor chimes in and says we should all be sharing these... after all, he admitted that he would make the worst patient. He hates needles. I told him that we could help him over that fear... wanna trade places??
Once we got underway, he was brilliant. He made sure I was comfortable and that the sedation was working so that I wasn't anxious or nervous (which I wasn't... yet, I didn't feel drugged or sleepy, either). The whole time he did the procedure, he talked to me and told me what he was doing, what I could expect, when I would feel a tug or a poke or some pressure. Nothing he did hurt or in any way caused discomfort... and the procedure was very quick (maybe 20 - 25 minutes?).
The real eye opener was when I asked him why he decided to become a surgeon. He said he had grown up on a farm in Quebec and always was interested in repairing animals, broken bones, problems that required some kind of procedure and then liked to see these animals recover. Of course, this led me to asking, "So why not become a veterinarian?" but he said by the time he got out of high school he had moved on from wanting to help animals to helping humans and making a difference in peoples' lives. I then asked him how many years he had to study/train/go to school to become the surgeon he is today... and he said 12 year! 12 years??? But I could have sworn he was no more than 8 years old!! They are sooooo young now!! That means, at the youngest, he had to be in his early 30s.... seriously, he looked like he was still in high school
Needless to say, we had a very enjoyable time... all of us. Like I say, tonight it was tender, enough that it might keep me awake, but I took my usual evening prescription Tylenol #3s for my arthritis and my 150mg Lyrica for the nerve damage in my legs/feet... and voila, the tenderness is not so tender... at least not noticeable. So I have a good feeling that by the weekend I'm going to be back to my usual self
So there you have it... an adventure getting the Power Port put in
Cheryl
I am glad the procedure went well + I hope you are recovering nicely.0 -
GladCherylHutch said:Thanks, everyone!!
Surgical procedure went great! Ok, so they were running behind (how can they be 2 hours behind at 9:45am??), and I didn't bring my book with me, so I was bored for 2 hours before going into the prep room. And it's not as if I could go for a walk outside the hospital because by fluke, it was snowing this morning! Somehow I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be wandering around in the snow, shuffling along in my Crocs I have a gorgeous pair of black and olive green Crocs... but they aren't really all that great as snow footwear
Anywho... the surgical experience was like night and day compared to when I got the port back in March 2007. For starters, it's waaaaay smaller than the last one I had. I forget what the name was of the one I had but this Power Port looked way different and it was installed differently. The catheter part was put in my neck... the port itself was in the exact same spot as the old one (he cut along the same scar line). BUT, whereas the last surgeon anchored the port to a muscle, this surgeon anchored it to "tissue"... and I can so tell the difference tonight because I can move my right arm very easily!
Yes, it is tender tonight (the local anesthetic has long worn off)... there are actually two tender spots... where the port has been inserted and the small cut in the neck. The surgeon in 2007 had stapled the wound shut, whereas Dr. Joel Gagnon used dissolvable stitches (I don't even have to go in to a doctor to have them taken out). Dr. Gagnon's bedside manner was 100% better than the surgeon in 2007. Ok, it did sort of start in the hallway when the nurses put on the funny bathing cap looking hats and put one on me. I said, "Awwright... we all get to wear party hats?" and that set the mood for the OR room. I had 4 nurses plus Dr. Gagnon, so while the nurses were prepping me, I said, "We all are wearing our party hats but who is in charge of the cocktails?? Doctor!!!???" but before he could answer one of the nurses shows the syringes with the sedation meds, laughs and says, "No worries! I've got the cocktails!!" So then the doctor chimes in and says we should all be sharing these... after all, he admitted that he would make the worst patient. He hates needles. I told him that we could help him over that fear... wanna trade places??
Once we got underway, he was brilliant. He made sure I was comfortable and that the sedation was working so that I wasn't anxious or nervous (which I wasn't... yet, I didn't feel drugged or sleepy, either). The whole time he did the procedure, he talked to me and told me what he was doing, what I could expect, when I would feel a tug or a poke or some pressure. Nothing he did hurt or in any way caused discomfort... and the procedure was very quick (maybe 20 - 25 minutes?).
The real eye opener was when I asked him why he decided to become a surgeon. He said he had grown up on a farm in Quebec and always was interested in repairing animals, broken bones, problems that required some kind of procedure and then liked to see these animals recover. Of course, this led me to asking, "So why not become a veterinarian?" but he said by the time he got out of high school he had moved on from wanting to help animals to helping humans and making a difference in peoples' lives. I then asked him how many years he had to study/train/go to school to become the surgeon he is today... and he said 12 year! 12 years??? But I could have sworn he was no more than 8 years old!! They are sooooo young now!! That means, at the youngest, he had to be in his early 30s.... seriously, he looked like he was still in high school
Needless to say, we had a very enjoyable time... all of us. Like I say, tonight it was tender, enough that it might keep me awake, but I took my usual evening prescription Tylenol #3s for my arthritis and my 150mg Lyrica for the nerve damage in my legs/feet... and voila, the tenderness is not so tender... at least not noticeable. So I have a good feeling that by the weekend I'm going to be back to my usual self
So there you have it... an adventure getting the Power Port put in
Cheryl
Oh, Cheryl!
I'm so glad it went so well for you!
*hugs*
Gail0 -
hubbyCherylHutch said:Thanks!
Thanks, Anne! I hope it goes quickly and smoothly and I'm back home by early afternoon They told me I'd be there for 2-3 hours... well, I go there for 9:45, so I expect to be out of there no later than 12:45pm and home by 1pm
Graci... that wouldn't surprise me! When I last had this done, I couldn't lift my right arm for about a week to 10 days. My right boob scared me... it was totally purple on one side. Turns out, that is not uncommon... the boob is where blood pools during this surgery. As for the useless arm... it wasn't because of the boob but because the port is actually anchored to a muscle under the collarbone. The port is stitched to the muscle to keep it in place. So it is the muscle that is actually hurting when the arm moves.
Soooo, I'm going in there prepared for the same effects and if I don't have them this time, then all the better
Ciao for now!
Cheryl
Hi Chery, thank you for your reply, so far not too bad for hubby, he had 3 cycles to go, then tests at the end, he had to have emergency surgery for a perforated bowel, so was such a shock. Just hoping chemo works for him. We live in England. Thank you so much for your help.0 -
Fast recoveryCherylHutch said:Thanks, everyone!!
Surgical procedure went great! Ok, so they were running behind (how can they be 2 hours behind at 9:45am??), and I didn't bring my book with me, so I was bored for 2 hours before going into the prep room. And it's not as if I could go for a walk outside the hospital because by fluke, it was snowing this morning! Somehow I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be wandering around in the snow, shuffling along in my Crocs I have a gorgeous pair of black and olive green Crocs... but they aren't really all that great as snow footwear
Anywho... the surgical experience was like night and day compared to when I got the port back in March 2007. For starters, it's waaaaay smaller than the last one I had. I forget what the name was of the one I had but this Power Port looked way different and it was installed differently. The catheter part was put in my neck... the port itself was in the exact same spot as the old one (he cut along the same scar line). BUT, whereas the last surgeon anchored the port to a muscle, this surgeon anchored it to "tissue"... and I can so tell the difference tonight because I can move my right arm very easily!
Yes, it is tender tonight (the local anesthetic has long worn off)... there are actually two tender spots... where the port has been inserted and the small cut in the neck. The surgeon in 2007 had stapled the wound shut, whereas Dr. Joel Gagnon used dissolvable stitches (I don't even have to go in to a doctor to have them taken out). Dr. Gagnon's bedside manner was 100% better than the surgeon in 2007. Ok, it did sort of start in the hallway when the nurses put on the funny bathing cap looking hats and put one on me. I said, "Awwright... we all get to wear party hats?" and that set the mood for the OR room. I had 4 nurses plus Dr. Gagnon, so while the nurses were prepping me, I said, "We all are wearing our party hats but who is in charge of the cocktails?? Doctor!!!???" but before he could answer one of the nurses shows the syringes with the sedation meds, laughs and says, "No worries! I've got the cocktails!!" So then the doctor chimes in and says we should all be sharing these... after all, he admitted that he would make the worst patient. He hates needles. I told him that we could help him over that fear... wanna trade places??
Once we got underway, he was brilliant. He made sure I was comfortable and that the sedation was working so that I wasn't anxious or nervous (which I wasn't... yet, I didn't feel drugged or sleepy, either). The whole time he did the procedure, he talked to me and told me what he was doing, what I could expect, when I would feel a tug or a poke or some pressure. Nothing he did hurt or in any way caused discomfort... and the procedure was very quick (maybe 20 - 25 minutes?).
The real eye opener was when I asked him why he decided to become a surgeon. He said he had grown up on a farm in Quebec and always was interested in repairing animals, broken bones, problems that required some kind of procedure and then liked to see these animals recover. Of course, this led me to asking, "So why not become a veterinarian?" but he said by the time he got out of high school he had moved on from wanting to help animals to helping humans and making a difference in peoples' lives. I then asked him how many years he had to study/train/go to school to become the surgeon he is today... and he said 12 year! 12 years??? But I could have sworn he was no more than 8 years old!! They are sooooo young now!! That means, at the youngest, he had to be in his early 30s.... seriously, he looked like he was still in high school
Needless to say, we had a very enjoyable time... all of us. Like I say, tonight it was tender, enough that it might keep me awake, but I took my usual evening prescription Tylenol #3s for my arthritis and my 150mg Lyrica for the nerve damage in my legs/feet... and voila, the tenderness is not so tender... at least not noticeable. So I have a good feeling that by the weekend I'm going to be back to my usual self
So there you have it... an adventure getting the Power Port put in
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl,
I am so happy for you to have such a caring surgeon to put the port in your body.
My Mum's experience was not as good! Hers was so painful and she has two 5cm long wounds, one below the collarbone, one above her breast. Do you also have two wounds?
Besides the surgeon put the port slightly above her breast instead of below the collarbone. Is it normal? The other GP in the hospital wasn't able to locate the port nor could he use it for infusion! We were hoping she can use it immediately!
Anyone of you have similar situation?
Sorry to disturb your resting time and ask you so many question!
Best wishes to your health and recovery!
Dora0 -
Hijack anytime, Debdamama24 said:Cheryl
Thinking about you today and hoping everything went well with port placement. The one good thing about having it done now is you will be pretty well healed up before starting chemo. I was fortunate that my onc is a little firebrand she insisted that they move me up on the schedule for port placement because she wanted me healed up before starting chemo. She has been a very good advocate for me.
You asked me in my other thread how often I have chemo. Thought it would be easier to answer here. I go every 2 weeks it takes about 4 hours give or take a few minutes. Depends on how busy the pharmacy is at the center I get treatment at. I'm kind of an old timer there now so I tend get taken care of quickly. The pre-meds I get take about 30 minutes,then the iriontecan takes 90 minutes and the vectibix an hour. The one thing I did want to mention to you is that the iriontecan can cause stomach cramping. My onc gives me atropine with my pre-meds for this. It took awhile to get the dose right for me. It slows down the gut and at first caused terrible constipation for me.But, my onc kept adjusting the dose until we got it right, I now have no cramps or any problems with diarrhea. The biggest issue for me is a little fatigue about 3 days after infusion and dry skin. I should just try to live in a vat of lotion I guess. Well I didn't mean to hijack this thread but wanted to let you know that you are on my mind and hoping all went well today.
Deb
P.S. Have always wanted to visit Vancover it looks absolutely beautiful. I live in boring little Kansas more cows than people here. LOL
Hey Deb... thanks for the tips. I've marked that down about the Atropine and will ask my Onc about it and/or what pre-meds she is planning on giving me
Hehehe... well, Vancouver has boring weather if that's any consolation Oh sure, when it's sunny, it's gorgeous, but then we are built on a rainforest so we get lots of rain to keep everything green. Did I mention we get rain?? When winter comes and everyone is getting snow and blizzards and ice... we get rain. Again, did I mention Vancouver gets rain??
But hey... I LOVE cows!! With their big old eyes and constantly chewing hay or grass... love them cows!!
Cheryl0 -
Fast Recoveryluvmum said:Fast recovery
Hi Cheryl,
I am so happy for you to have such a caring surgeon to put the port in your body.
My Mum's experience was not as good! Hers was so painful and she has two 5cm long wounds, one below the collarbone, one above her breast. Do you also have two wounds?
Besides the surgeon put the port slightly above her breast instead of below the collarbone. Is it normal? The other GP in the hospital wasn't able to locate the port nor could he use it for infusion! We were hoping she can use it immediately!
Anyone of you have similar situation?
Sorry to disturb your resting time and ask you so many question!
Best wishes to your health and recovery!
Dora
Hey Dora,
I answered your questions in the other topic. I'm not sure how the surgeon could put it in without the GP at the hospital being able to find it. That totally doesn't make sense. It is placed just under the skin... you can't miss it. Even the most non-medical person in the world wouldn't be able to miss it... so where the heck did the surgeon hide it?? Not only that, when he sewed her up, he would have had to "flush" the device with saline solution by putting a needle in it, just like they do when they infuse the chemo and then flush it with saline after each session. They have to flush it during the installation of the device to make sure it works and there are no kinks or blockages.
I would say, get in touch with your mom's oncologist or the surgeon and tell them this is not working. The GP at the hospital couldn't find it, so couldn't use it, meanwhile she (Mom) is in pain. Get her oncologist working on fixing the problem. It never pays to remain quiet because if you don't tell them, they are going to assume everything is ok.
Cheryl0 -
THANK YOU VERY MUCH! Same to you!CherylHutch said:Fast Recovery
Hey Dora,
I answered your questions in the other topic. I'm not sure how the surgeon could put it in without the GP at the hospital being able to find it. That totally doesn't make sense. It is placed just under the skin... you can't miss it. Even the most non-medical person in the world wouldn't be able to miss it... so where the heck did the surgeon hide it?? Not only that, when he sewed her up, he would have had to "flush" the device with saline solution by putting a needle in it, just like they do when they infuse the chemo and then flush it with saline after each session. They have to flush it during the installation of the device to make sure it works and there are no kinks or blockages.
I would say, get in touch with your mom's oncologist or the surgeon and tell them this is not working. The GP at the hospital couldn't find it, so couldn't use it, meanwhile she (Mom) is in pain. Get her oncologist working on fixing the problem. It never pays to remain quiet because if you don't tell them, they are going to assume everything is ok.
Cheryl
Dear Cheryl,
Thank you so much for your information. After reading your message, I've decided to call the onc tomorrow and see if he could help. The problem is he doesn't know the surgeon who implanted the port for my mum. And I have no way to get hold of the surgeon too. The medical system here is just so confusing. There is no teamwork or whatsoever! They do their own part and they don't care the others!
Thank you so so so much for your reply!!!!! I hope your port will work well forever and have speedy recovery!
Dora (would really like to give you a big hug)0
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