[1rarebird]

At my 4-month check up last week, my oncologist and I discussed if now was a good time to get my port removed. With my 2-year anniversary (diagnosis based) pending (actually it was yesterday), the good doctor said I could have it out if I wanted to. I told him that my biggest problem with my port is keeping the appointments every 8-weeks for the maintenance. At times it has been a inconvenience for me, but I follow his orders. When I mentioned the hassle to him he laughed and told me about a man he once treated who ignored for 5 years having his port flushed. The man had a recurrence of his cancer (I don't know which kind) and when they tried the port, to everyone's surprise it functioned properly and the chemo infusions began with no problems. My doctor said he didn't recommend that I follow this fellow as a model, but he said that I shouldn't get too worried if I missed a port maintenance by a week or two.----- I'm still weighing the pros and cons for getting my port out.---bird