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Andrea Barnett Budin · 01-11-2008, 08:28 PM

Okay, I'm not reporting you -- this time! Biohazard... Not good. My surg asked me as he was removing my port in his office if I wanted to see. I was looking away and said, If I could wait in the waiting room, I would. I did not want to even look at it. HEY THIS IS REALLY COOL. COME ON. TAKE A PEAK. No thank you. Just get it out and let me go. Thank you for everything, but I could skip this part...

Now -- I would have liked to have seen. A chemo nurse had one semi recently and showed it to me. It wasn't MINE, so somehow I was fine. Interesting. I am on Port #2 (since '98). BARD PORTACATHETER. I like it. It likes me. We have a good relationship. No issues.

When I had my kidney stone that it took 10 wks of serious effort to pass on my own, at my insistence, refusing surgery, before lipto... I wanted to have it made into a ring or something. I was so proud! But, better to have it crushed and analyzed so they knew what was causing the larger than life thing that ripped my urethra to shreds and caused Hawaiin Punch to color my pee...

A port is a great invention and a super aid in accessing veins otherwise determined to remain undetected, collapsing, blowing out, rolling over and befuddling all nurses who were sure they had a good one. I love my port... The simplest things in life make me happy... Andi

01-11-2008, 08:28 PM	#18
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	Wanna See??? No... Not Really.... Okay, I'm not reporting you -- this time! Biohazard... Not good. My surg asked me as he was removing my port in his office if I wanted to see. I was looking away and said, If I could wait in the waiting room, I would. I did not want to even look at it. HEY THIS IS REALLY COOL. COME ON. TAKE A PEAK. No thank you. Just get it out and let me go. Thank you for everything, but I could skip this part... Now -- I would have liked to have seen. A chemo nurse had one semi recently and showed it to me. It wasn't MINE, so somehow I was fine. Interesting. I am on Port #2 (since '98). BARD PORTACATHETER. I like it. It likes me. We have a good relationship. No issues. When I had my kidney stone that it took 10 wks of serious effort to pass on my own, at my insistence, refusing surgery, before lipto... I wanted to have it made into a ring or something. I was so proud! But, better to have it crushed and analyzed so they knew what was causing the larger than life thing that ripped my urethra to shreds and caused Hawaiin Punch to color my pee... A port is a great invention and a super aid in accessing veins otherwise determined to remain undetected, collapsing, blowing out, rolling over and befuddling all nurses who were sure they had a good one. I love my port... The simplest things in life make me happy... 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...