The Colon Club

DocSavage wrote:In addition you get a cool bracelet to wear and card that shows you are in the club.

LOL I forgot about the wrist band! (Not calling it a bracelet due to my fragile masculinity). I should dig that up and wear it. I do carry the card in my wallet but mainly due to paranoia about airport security - never had an issue there though.

sinewaves wrote:One of the questions he asked last time was about a port - I had just finished my APR and wasn't looking for any more surgeries, so I said I didn't need one.

JMO

I needed FOLFOX for a recurrence and I chose to have a port for that chemo ...AND ...
just in case anything else showed up later ... I kept mine for about 3 years.

I had mine installed and removed by a vascular surgeon,
I had no issues with it, or issues with any infusions through it.
I had mine flushed about every 4-5 weeks at the treatments center when I was not getting chemo.
I had no issues with removal when I was done.

My whole story is buried here on the forum for many years BUTT .... Re: Port put in
... is a VERY brief synopsis to get you started !!!

and here is a little more light reading !
Re: Medi-PORT placement feedback ???

IME = YES I would absolutely get a port again if I needed infusion chemo.

best wishes
CRguy

A few words about my husband's experience with a port. The first one, which was implanted on his right side, always "bugged" him. He could feel it. It wasn't painful, but annoying, like a slight ache that doesn't ever go away. When he finished his 6 adjuvant cycles of XELOX last Fall, he had it removed (we were optimistic!). Unfortunately his cancer spread, so he got a new port implanted... This time on his left side. Not sure what was different with the surgery, but he doesn't feel this one at all. Good thing as he's likely going to keep it for a while...
That said, he would still take an "annoying port" over direct vein infusion, because of his strong reaction to that procedure.

Not sure if you’ve already made your decision yet but my mom was very leery of getting the port and the surgery itself and it ended up being no big deal and she’s now very happy she had it for her chemo as she heard horror stories of how hard it is on the veins. But that being said, she is also super happy to get it removed soon.

Thanks everyone for the feedback and sharing your stories.

I'm going to try it tomorrow without the port and see how it is - and get a port put in for the other rounds if needed.

Good call Sinewaves! I hope you don't need the port, but if you do, it really is no big deal.

Claudine

Do the port, otherwise you'll be in a world of unnecessary pain!