Oncologist

Hi Eileen

I had a port put in on 22 January and while initially I had a few unexpected hiccups, I am so glad I did!!!!!  Most of the women in my chemo unit have ports.

The operation was really easy. I did have some discomfit afterwards - it was painful to sleep on my side for a week and it was uncomfortable to turn my head, also had to take panadeine fort for a few bad headaches - but once everything settled down after a short period it was great. I can't feel any of the needles going in for treatment and so much less painful than all the attempts it took to get a cannula in a vein. My port has become blocked twice. One time they did a line-ograph on me and unblocked it straight away. Another time they gave me an injection which unblocked it - but both these times it was really easy to unblock and I didn't feel anything. Now I don't notice it at all. 

Just a note, if you are going to get blood samples from it the regular pathology labs don't have the training to get blood that way. I get my blood taken at my chemo unit since they are trained to do this through ports. 

Hope it goes well

Take care, Nadine