Swollen area above portacath - any one have this problem

Hi Ladies,

I have just spent two miserable days of sheer terror!

I woke up the morning before yesterday and discovered a 'pea' like lump about three inches above my portacath - I freaked, hubby is away so I have had to sweat this out on my own - make matters worse, I don't drive so go figure for the rest of the story as you read on.  

I rang the hospital and they said ring my GP - the medical centre gave me the 'we are booked out routing' and I told them my story so they said come up at two pm.  I did so (walk, walk) and the GP booked me in for a scan the next day at the hopital (taxi there, taxi back) I ended up having two ultra sounds (visiting radiologist needed to see for himself) then that arvo (yesterday) I walked back up to the medical centre - doc said, need to talk to radiologist, but you need a blood test to rule out infection - so the blood-dudes at the medical centre had gone home for the day, and the health centre ones had closed up for the day, so I walked on up to the hospital - mean while, say my favourite blood-taker nurse and she had BC - she had a few jabs before my arm would behave itself (I told her, I'll just tip my arm over the test tube and you can collect it that way!) she laughed as she jabbed me again - finally got some blood (other arm out of action re lymph node removal) so she said, you are going to bruis - I said, "Don't worry collateral damage, chook" I showed her my swollen vein above the port - she said "Oh, that happened to me - but it went down after awhile, when I stopped rubbing it" ....................I nearly slid off the chair thinking 'Oh God, please let that be the case!" and then I said "Well two bloody ultra sounds over the top of it would have made it worse, wouldn't it".  ANYWAY, I walked home - the GP rang and said the radiologist said there were no blod clots (Yay!) ............but no results on blood test - well, my temp wasn't up and I was ok except for being totally exhausted after walking all over bloody town from doctor to hospital etc.  So realising when I woke the other morning I had slept on that side where the port was - so last night I opted to sleep in an arm chair (so I wouldn't roll over on the port) and I was so plum tuckered out I crashed for about 12 hours!  I have to see the oncologist tomorrow anyway so I will check out the blood test results with him - darned if I am going to walk into town again even if it is only ten minutes!  Hope my onc doesn't put the brakes on my Tassie trip on the 13th for my 60th birthday.................what a sh**t if he does.  I told my blood-taker nurse - I can't believe how paranoid I am - as I said she has been through this hersefl...................She's a tough old bean (but most likeable) and she said, "Darls, you will always be paranoid.........it goes with the territory"  Yep she's right...................any one else had 'port' issues? x x x Josie