Mediport taken out today

Well, this turned out to be an even easier day then I expected. Judy Anderson went down to Sloan Kettering with me, the traffic was light, and things were on schedule at the hospital. So I actually was taken down to the Interventional Radiology Department on time at 11 o'clock. And I was back up before 12 o'clock. They let me walk both ways.

In between, I was asked the usual questions by the staff in the IR department, and met Dr. Covey (SP?), a young woman who also did my kidney biopsy way back in August, 2005, and who is a bit of a comedian. I reminded her of that, and that we'd spent that time telling jokes back and forth while she was locating my kidney via CAT scan, and jabbing me. 

The mediport removal took no more then 20 minutes, and all I was given was a local anesthetic - no sedation. If I'd been given a sedative it would have delayed my discharge two or three hours, so I opted to not have one. With the local anesthetic I couldn't feel anything anyway, beyond a bit of a tugging feeling.

Dr. Covey said that the mediport is designed to have scar tissue build up and sort of graft to it, and cutting it away is what takes the most time.

Unfortunately, they wouldn't give me the mediport as a momento. Covey said it was medical waste, and by law had to be disposed of in a certain way (As Judy said later, disposed of so it would wash up on the Jersey shore). She was pretty emphatic about it. Evidently other people do ask. I mean, I carried it around under my skin for 105 weeks, aren't I entitled to it?

However I found a mediport picture online, and this is just what mine looked like when Dr. Covey showed it to me:

The tube that comes off it is five or six inches long, and is threaded through the superior vena cava. The picture shows just about the real size. And they cost between 700 and a thousand dollars.

Here's a little narcissism on my part - before and after mediport photos taken in the last two days:

I was home today at around 2 o'clock. My only activity restrictions are no exercising with weights until the weekend and when showering don't scrub the wound area for the next week or so.

So a good day! As I wrote yesterday, the physicians would have discouraged me from having the mediport removed if they had any feeling that I might be needing more chemotherapy any time soon.

Comments

[helen brown]

Thanks for photos of before & after mediport insert..grandnephew, age 4, had tumor removed from left eye; Ewings Sarcoma.
www.CaringBridge.org/visit/spencershores

A word of encouragement to little Spencer is appreciated. Good luck with your therapy as well!

Best regards from Fairhope, AL. Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay.

[tom faranda]

Helen

Thanks for your note! What relation are you to Spencer, and can I email him at the link you provided?

[helen brown]

Tom! How grand! Hurrah! I had no idea when I found you - THANK YOU GOOGLE - my special friend, now husband, would be having a mediport "God Sparks" as Bob and I call those moments of paths crossing with connections beyond the moment. Hospital Day 10 today. The diagnosis moved from Glieoblastoma to Butterfly Higrade Bcell Lymphoma. "Blindsided by a Butterfly" is our future book or something. Bob's mental clairty continues to return. Fear setting in. "I wanted to take care of you" Ah, that 'for better or worse' was only supposed to be from HIS side in his mind!

Quick update: From Emory University Hosp-ER neuro doc's discharg: "anxiety/depression" Bob's PC docs "pernicious anemia" driving on to AL..5 days passing, Bob worsening. We visited another doc who did an MRI=brain tumor,both lobes. We have a lot to learn!

I am delighted on the removal of your port. NO more chemo. Resuming life. Congrats Tom! Helen Trammell www.CaringBridge.org/visit/bobtrammell

[helen brown]

Tom, meant to share...diagnosis 8/13, married 8/14, neurosurgeon 8/15 scheduling biopsy..emergency check into hosp last Monday week. Helen

[Marleen]

To Tom, I had my mediport removed this morning at NYU in NYC. No problem, though I also had another (relatively minor) procedure done. Question - do you have any idea why was the port sent to pathology? I undertand it was the law.

[Pj chmapagne]

To,
tomorrow is my BIg day. My port is being removed. I have had mine since 2005, when I caught VRE at the local hopsital after minor ankle surgery. It has only been acessed once a month since Nov 2005 for a flush, as every doctor around here says they are a huge liablity. I have just switch jobs, starting a new job in northern ny where I will not have acess to a visiting nurse like I do here in a major city, so I have finally found a Dr to remove the port, before I start the job. I am so glad to be saying goodbye to the hassle of my port, nad the monthly flushings. However, I will be under genral anist. for my removal, with a great chance of having to sleep over. (due to the VRE complications!!). It was great to read about your removal as I was a bit scared. Thank you...

[tom faranda]

How did your mediport removal go?

Tmo Faranda

[sue west]

Hi, Im a Texas nurse. My spouse had a Mediport for a year. I promise you that all your cheer and bon homme will do as much for you as the Mediport! Keep laughing!
Sailor Sue

[BG]

You were the top hit for mediport removal as my wife is having hers removed, and this was a great explanation, thanks so much, and I hope all is well with you. Take care!

[Tom Faranda]

Thanks for your kind comment. Prayers and best wishes to you and your wife.

Tom Faranda

In a message dated 6/4/2010 9:16:15 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

[brownie mccomb]

So since I read the time mag article about hospitals overcharging, as if we didn't know that, I thought I would remove my port myself at home and was checking around to see if I might bleed to death or not. I know, brilliant idea, great way to die of infection if I don't bleed away, and is my life really worth so little, what about gratitude for surviving cancer, etc, but still somehow the idea intrigues me as a statement of self sufficiency, of rejecting the overwrought health care system, as a voice of change.
Anyway, glad to hear you had a simple OP session, that restore some faith for me.

[Barbara]

Tomorrow is my big day. Mediport coming out and I'm nervous as hell because of the experience of PVC's and not being able to breath when it was inserted. Your post helped calm a few of my nerves and I'm hoping in/out in 60 would be great. Thank you and God Bless all of you

Barbara

[Sweat]

Next time show a little less flesh in the pictures. You're making all the girls faint out there!

- Sweat................

LONG LIVE FARANDA !!!

[tom faranda]

Barbara it's a good sign that it's coming out - means your physicians think the risk of any further problems in the near future are pretty nil.

Best of luck and God Bless ya!