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StephN · 07-18-2008, 05:44 PM

Thanks, everyone for your support.

Actually I could do with a little LESS adventure on the health front!

I bumped into my onc's nurse case manager yesterday and let her know my procedure results. Her reply: "We have sure learned a lesson in your case and have those puppies pulled at the first SIGN of trouble!"
My answer was that at least they know of the doctor to take care of the clots if it is needed. (The University of Washington has a huge medical center.)

I guess since my new port was working well, they did not take the symptoms so seriously. If a port is NOT working it automatically comes out, if the TPA does not open a clotted tip. My clots were not at the tip, but along the sides of the catheter. If the tip clots in the future, that will be another story ...

Now I am looking less like someone with the puffy face from steroids. Maybe I won't be so camera shy!

P.S. I WAS getting hungry. I get cranky when I am hungry, so complained a little. The nurse practicioner said I could have a few sips of apple juice, but by then I was getting past the point of being so aware of my stomach.

07-18-2008, 05:44 PM	#14
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Thanks, everyone for your support. Actually I could do with a little LESS adventure on the health front! I bumped into my onc's nurse case manager yesterday and let her know my procedure results. Her reply: "We have sure learned a lesson in your case and have those puppies pulled at the first SIGN of trouble!" My answer was that at least they know of the doctor to take care of the clots if it is needed. (The University of Washington has a huge medical center.) I guess since my new port was working well, they did not take the symptoms so seriously. If a port is NOT working it automatically comes out, if the TPA does not open a clotted tip. My clots were not at the tip, but along the sides of the catheter. If the tip clots in the future, that will be another story ... Now I am looking less like someone with the puffy face from steroids. Maybe I won't be so camera shy! P.S. I WAS getting hungry. I get cranky when I am hungry, so complained a little. The nurse practicioner said I could have a few sips of apple juice, but by then I was getting past the point of being so aware of my stomach. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018. Last edited by StephN; 07-18-2008 at 05:46 PM..