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Andrea Barnett Budin · 10-18-2007, 01:25 PM

I HAVE HARD VEINS. Very thin, they say. Collapse, roll over and/or blow out. Many stabs and pain. So I got the port. Easy out patient surg. Twilight sleep. Get up, remember nothing, can walk right out. Need a wk to heal before tx.

Tx messes w/your veins. I prefer this method. Easy access. Saline before, saline after + heploc. Best thing I ever did. Great for bld draws, if done at Cancer Center. I wouldn't let nurses who were not familiar w/ports use it in hosp. Good luck. Let us know how you fare.

Oh, mind is in the bra line. Pp tell me inner arm is not good, nor under breast. Prone to clot. So I hear. I have had no prob, thank God.

Andi

10-18-2007, 01:25 PM	#4
Andrea Barnett Budin Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: LAND OF YES! w/home in Boca Raton, Florida Orig from L.I., N.Y. Ever hovering IN THE NOW... Posts: 1,904	Bonnie... I HAVE HARD VEINS. Very thin, they say. Collapse, roll over and/or blow out. Many stabs and pain. So I got the port. Easy out patient surg. Twilight sleep. Get up, remember nothing, can walk right out. Need a wk to heal before tx. Tx messes w/your veins. I prefer this method. Easy access. Saline before, saline after + heploc. Best thing I ever did. Great for bld draws, if done at Cancer Center. I wouldn't let nurses who were not familiar w/ports use it in hosp. Good luck. Let us know how you fare. Oh, mind is in the bra line. Pp tell me inner arm is not good, nor under breast. Prone to clot. So I hear. I have had no prob, thank God. Andi __________________ Andi BB '95 post-meno dx Invasive LOBULAR w/9cm tumor! YIKES + 2/21 nodes. Clear mammo 10 mnths earlier. Mastec/tram flap reconst/PORT/8 mnths chemo (4Adria/8CMF). Borderline ER/PR. Tamoxifen 2 yrs. Felt BLESSED. I could walk and talk, feed and bathe myself! I KNEW I would survive... '98 -- multiple mets to liver. HER2+ 80%. ER/PR- Raging, highly aggressive tumors spreading fast. New PORT. 9 mnths Taxotere Fought fire w/fire! Pronounced in cautious remission 5/99. Taxotere weekly for 6 wks, 2 wks off -- for 9 mnths. TALK ABOUT GRUELING! (I believe they've altered that protocol since those days -- sure hope so!!) + good old Vit H wkly for 1st 3 yrs, then triple dosage ev 3 wks for 7 yrs more... The "easy" chemo, right?! Not a walk in the park, but not a freight train coming at 'ya either... Added Herceptin Nov '98 (6 wks after FDA fast-tracked it for met bc). Stayed w/Vit H till July '08! Now I AM FREE! Humbly and eternally grateful for this life-saving drug! NED since '99 and planning on keeping it that way. To hell w/poor prognosis and nasty stats! STOPPED VIT H JULY '08...! REMAIN STABLE... Eternally grateful...Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds ... (e e cummings) EVERY DAY I BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD FOR # OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS I'VE STAYED ALIVE. Smile KNOWING you too can be a miracle. Up to me and God now...