HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - surgery complications

Chelee · 12-30-2010, 01:28 AM

Pam,
I just feel so bad for you...seems it's one thing after another for you. I am so sorry they couldn't get your port to work. But I have found the only ones that really know how to access a port right is our chemo nurses! When I was in the hospital a couple times they always had trouble with my port...yet my chemo nurse never does! It's a shame you had to be poked far too many times but I'll bet once you get back to a REAL chemo nurse she will get it working just fine. Might have to prime the pump a bit...make you lay back, cough and all the fun stuff...but these RN's in the hospital mean well but they just don't have the same experience or training our chemo nurses have. I know they used the heparin and all...but they use different size needles and everything which can play a part in your port not working correctly.

As to your transfusion I'm not sure how fast they are suppose to work...but I sure didn't notice any difference right away. Hope it works quicker for you. I hope they let you go home on time tomorrow...but they might keep you one more day? I sure understand that nervous feeling you have about going home...I felt that way too--but you will be fine as long as you have family there to help you. For now tell those ppl at Re-hab to behave or I just might have to come down there and they don't want that.

Chelee

12-30-2010, 01:28 AM	#23
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Re: surgery complications - or what? Pam, I just feel so bad for you...seems it's one thing after another for you. I am so sorry they couldn't get your port to work. But I have found the only ones that really know how to access a port right is our chemo nurses! When I was in the hospital a couple times they always had trouble with my port...yet my chemo nurse never does! It's a shame you had to be poked far too many times but I'll bet once you get back to a REAL chemo nurse she will get it working just fine. Might have to prime the pump a bit...make you lay back, cough and all the fun stuff...but these RN's in the hospital mean well but they just don't have the same experience or training our chemo nurses have. I know they used the heparin and all...but they use different size needles and everything which can play a part in your port not working correctly. As to your transfusion I'm not sure how fast they are suppose to work...but I sure didn't notice any difference right away. Hope it works quicker for you. I hope they let you go home on time tomorrow...but they might keep you one more day? I sure understand that nervous feeling you have about going home...I felt that way too--but you will be fine as long as you have family there to help you. For now tell those ppl at Re-hab to behave or I just might have to come down there and they don't want that. Chelee __________________ DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes. Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs. Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06 Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07 3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07 9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV. 9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa 9-29-09 Power Port Placement 10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head. 11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed 12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa. 3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed. 4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone. 5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy. Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time. 7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.