Not such a great week ...

StephN · 08-10-2006, 03:07 PM

No bad scan or anything like that.
Had my Port-A-Catheter replaced on Tuesday afternoon. So, been home with a very sore chest and not able to do much with my arms either. (The pain pills are kicking in right now, so I am up for a while.)

My old port was in for nearly 6 years and was set rather low and deep. There was a lot of scar tissue around it and it was harder to get out for that reason. My new port is placed right where I did not want it, but the surgeon did not want to go lower and into my breast tissue. Hey - it is MY body ... but I was knocked out, what could I do?

We are in the middle of an EXPENSIVE plumbing repair that we discovered yesterday morning. I was not well enough to do a lot of calling around and get more than one on-site opinion or estimate. We just needed it done and my hubby was wrapped up in other things. So, I think we are getting skinned alive.

Glad to hear things are better with most of you - like finally getting Tykerb and finishing treatments. Life goes on around us no matter how we are feeling.

janet/FL · 08-10-2006, 03:39 PM

Steph, I really understand what you are going through. Life shouldn't be allowed to throw more than one thing at us at a time, and then separated by long periods of NO problems.
I went to my endocrinologist today and he wanted to do another biopsey of my thyroid. I just said NO! He can do it someother time. I need a break.
Hugs, and hope the plumber turns out to be the best (and cheapest!) and gets the job done soon and right!
Janet

RhondaH · 08-10-2006, 03:58 PM

hope things start looking up for you. I will be praying for you. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

Barbara H. · 08-10-2006, 04:48 PM

Hi Steph,
I thought of you all day on Tuesday. I agree, it is not easy to get a port in and out. I had my taken out after my first treatment, and then, off course had to get a new one in 2004. I can't remember anything about that surgery. I do remember the first one because I refused any meds, and refusued to be put out. They just did a local. I got off the table when they were done and was able to leave. That was during the days when I was fearful of being being put out.

It seems like when it rains, it pours. Sorry about that plumbing situation! Of most importance, I hope that you heal quickly and that this port works for you. My new port is much smaller. However, it has twisted and is harder to access.

Best wishes for a quick recovery and keep us updated.

Barbara H.

AlaskaAngel · 08-10-2006, 05:15 PM

I'm hoping the plumbers give you a break, Steph! Jeez...

Having to go through having the port replaced is hard enough. I feel pretty sure that if you could have "been" there to raise a little cain that port would not be where it is -- you are very particular and vocal about your care and it certainly has made a difference.

You are a very good influence here and I'm sorry to hear you are having to handle all of this now.

AlaskaAngel

Becky · 08-10-2006, 05:45 PM

Dear Steph

I hope things look better for you. Sometimes we all forget that everyday annoyances (and not so everyday ones like the plumbing but certainly not a cancer annoyance) are a pain in the butt. I sometimes feel that I'm not supposed to get pissed about normal daily blog because I am doing well (medically). Never can complain about anything else, even stupid stuff.

And the port replacement and it not being where you want it to be is agravating to say the least, especially since it will be there for years and its not where you want it. Its not like they'll get it right next month.

All I can say is have the hub bring home a nice 2001 Cab from Napa for tonight.

Thinking of you

Becky

IRENE FROM TAMPA · 08-10-2006, 06:01 PM

you are not feeling the best today Steph.

If it's any consolation to you ..my first two ports were placed lower into my breast and had more fatty tissue there. The nurses always had a hard time accessing since it was in deeper and would wiggle around more due to the denser area. I had those for several years when the last one went bad.
It was replaced with a much smaller one and up higher in my chest area.
It may show a little more then the other one but they never have any trouble at all accessing this one and a shorter needle can be used.

I don't even think about where it is half the time and don't even try to cover it up. I have had this one for several years now and it still works pretty good.

You are right Steph, life does go on around us and hopefully it WILL for us all. That is why we are all here for each other in our times of sorrow as well as in joy. We are the sisterhood of the Her2 and a lot will be learned from our experiences.

Hope tomorrow brings you a more comfortable day without pain.

Take care Steph..

karenann · 08-10-2006, 07:11 PM

Steph,

Sorry to hear you are having a bad week. Sure hope the next couple of days are better.

Hugs,
Karen

sassy · 08-10-2006, 07:34 PM

Steph,

It sure seems like we go thru so much with BC that we should get a pass on stuff like plumbing problems. Hope you begin feeling better and the plumber doesn't take you to the cleaners.
________
WebcamStud cam

RobinP · 08-10-2006, 07:50 PM

Dear Steph,

Hang in there.I certainly will pray for you!

chrisy · 08-10-2006, 08:54 PM

Dear Steph,
What a pain! Two pains! Hope things settle down soon and that the new port turns out to work perfectly and unobtrusively. For that matter, I wish the same for the new plumbing.
Hope things look brighter soon!
Chris

StephN · 08-10-2006, 11:14 PM

I feel a little better than I did this morning. Your messages helped a lot!

Yeah - we did get skinned alive by the plumber. They have prices by the job now and it seems they are all in cahoots with their pricing. Outrageous. I think we are going to send a letter to the Better Business Bureau on this one.

At least we have water and the guy did a good job - just the company he works for is a rip off. He was careful with our new landscaping and even put the big rocks back that he moved. The price (moneywise) was a big pill to swallow.

Irene - you are right that the new port is smaller. But it is closer to the center of my chest and I do not have a lot of tissue there so it will be a big bump and probably get a permanent bruise like the other one since it gets accessed so much. (I am tattooed on top of the old port.)

Tomorrow IS another day - and we had better make some money to pay for this plumbing rip off!! Scrimp and save and then your pocket gets picked!

Barbara H. · 08-11-2006, 06:24 AM

Oh Steph, that sounds like a plumbing problem we had to do with this past spring. The pipe that brings water into the house had to be replaced in the house as well as the main water pipe that goes out to the street. We had to also hire a landscaper to dig up our front yard. One gets no enjoyment from these kinds of repairs.

The humor is that you had to get your incoming line fixed and so did your house.

Sorry that your port is in a place you don't want. There is no end to what we have to deal with. Have a TGIF glass of wine tonight and look at your pictures from your trip to Portugal.

Best wishes,
Barbara H.

sarah · 08-11-2006, 06:29 AM

Dear Steph,
It's amazing how little problems really make us crazy! as for the plumbers, I think you have to be glad they showed up! these days, if it's not a big job and really pays well, well....they just don't seem to care!
Hope the new port doesn't hurt and that the plumbing is working well. Some days nothing goes right, but then isn't it a miracle when things do work out? as they say, life isn't for sissies and I think we've all proven that we aren't sissies. that said it's amazing how upsetting little things can be.
hope tomorrow is sunnier for you
sarah

Sheila · 08-11-2006, 07:19 AM

Steph
I wish I had known...my husband is a plumber..now works in maintanence at a nuclear plant....I could have brought him out and let him work while you and I enjoyed a glass of wine....glad to see that at least the port replacement went OK...after what my grandaughter Jasmine went through, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Hope today is a better day for you.

MJo · 08-11-2006, 07:54 AM

Oh Steph - Problems with my car and plumbing/electricty/heating make me crazy. My brother in Tenn. is getting his whole kitchen remodelled. Everything was in pieces, including the cabinets when the contractor was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor and closed his company. My brother and his wife have great compassion for the man, but they are cooking with a hot plate and microwave. They have a new contractor and all should be well soon. Amazingly, a few weeks later my brother's good friend was diagnosed with the same cancer. The friend is going into a clinical trial at Duke. I hope the contractor is doing okay. It's amazing how cancer touches everybody.

Marlys · 08-11-2006, 02:03 PM

Steph, I think you posted about your problem with your port the day that some threads got lost. I had a question about the fibrin you said was on the end as well as the loop in the catheter. My catheter is also looped. We have never been able to get blood out, even with TPA. Then during my 2nd from last infusion of Herceptin I began having pretty severe pain from the infusion.
My port has only been in since 4/25/05 and had always worked well for infusion until it started hurting. I had my last 3 infusions I.V. with no problem and my port is being removed Monday. However I am curious as to why it looped and also about the fibrin. I figured you might have gotten some answers to this from your treatment center.
Thanks for any input you may have.
Marlys

StephN · 08-12-2006, 12:13 PM

Hi Marlys -

I will answer you in a new post with more information on the fibrin production and partial occusion problem that you seem to be having.
Don't know about the pain. Lucky that this complication with your port is coming near the end of your treatments.

Since I was having NO problems with my port when I completed adjuvent therapy I left it in. I was thinking that I would have it taken out after the rads and my skin had healed if that would be the case.

My tumor markers were still a bit high, so I was not in a rush to get the port removed. This was in the days before adjuvent Herceptin. Glad I kept the port as as I needed it in an emergency situation and would have had to have a surgery on top of starting a harsh chemo treatment.

Sheila - I am sure it would have been CHEAPER and MUCH MORE enjoyable to fly you and your hubby to Seattle and have him fix the water pipe! I have not had any wine until last night with dinner due to taking the pain pills. Hubby brought home a nice sparkling from Samur in the Loire Valley. It was as good as a real Champagne! And very refreshing.

janet/FL · 08-12-2006, 03:52 PM

Steph, a little off topic, but how did you find your liver tumors?
Glad everything is working even if your pocket book is crying.
Hugs,
Janet

Val Pfeiffer · 08-12-2006, 08:20 PM

It's late, and I'm a little punchy...sorry for the not-so-witty thread title...couldn't resist :-)

Anyway, I read Steph's post about getting her port replaced and it made me wonder...how many of you had a port installed for your chemo and/or post-treament Herceptin? I have no reason to ask this other that my own curiosity. I did not want a port, so I didn't get one. I had a line run each week for my six months of chemo and then, for the last year, every three weeks for Herceptin.

I had a friend with breast cancer one year before I was diagnosed and she complained about her port (but had wicked chemo meds so had no choice), so I was opposed to receiving a port from the start. Fortunately I have big and cooperative veins and it's been going fine.

But I am so interested to hear if the rest of you were offered a choice, and if so, if you were happy with your decision. Or if you had no choice, how did it go for you?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Val