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To Port or Not to Port? That is the Question...
It's late, and I'm a little punchy...sorry for the not-so-witty thread title...couldn't resist :-)
Anyway, I read Steph's post about getting her port replaced and it made me wonder...how many of you had a port installed for your chemo and/or post-treament Herceptin? I have no reason to ask this other that my own curiosity. I did not want a port, so I didn't get one. I had a line run each week for my six months of chemo and then, for the last year, every three weeks for Herceptin.
I had a friend with breast cancer one year before I was diagnosed and she complained about her port (but had wicked chemo meds so had no choice), so I was opposed to receiving a port from the start. Fortunately I have big and cooperative veins and it's been going fine.
But I am so interested to hear if the rest of you were offered a choice, and if so, if you were happy with your decision. Or if you had no choice, how did it go for you?
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Val
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BLOG:
http://valleygirlvnp.blogspot.com/
Dx 11/04, Age 42, ER-/PR-, HER2+++
3 months weekly Herceptin, Taxol. Carboplatin
Significant tumor shrinkage
Mastectomy 3/05; Stage 3b, 9 cm tumor, 5/8+ nodes
3 more months weekly Herceptin, Taxol. Carboplatin
7/05 30 radiation treatments, IMRT planning approach
Started 1 year of Herceptin 9/05
9/06 Began quarterly triple doses Herceptin. Brain & breast MRIs semi annually.
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6/08 Right breast, intraductal carcinoma, high nuclear grade associated with comedo necrosis; extensive diffusely involved the entire biopy specimen. ER+, PR-, Her2 unknown at this point, 07/08 mastectomy.
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