Port replacement done!! Dare I say it was FUN!?
I have never had good luck with sedatives. They never seem to work for me. I blame that on the control freak in me... my brain hangs on to lucidity with everything it has! lol.
My surgery was supposed to be at 10am, but my surgeon was on-call and had several emergency surgeries today, so it got pushed back til 2pm... then 4... then finally 5pm. Finally it was time and I was nauseous with nerves.
I took a valium when I got to the office. They asked if I felt like I had had a few drinks. Uh nope. Totally lucid. So they gave me a second valium. I think it would have been better to just give me a few shots. Mmm blueberry vodka.
I LOVE my surgeon and his staff. They are all wonderful, fun, and have excellent bedside manner. Since I was having my port done under local, Dr M chatted with me prior in case I had any more questions. I didn't. So it was time to rumble.
He numbed up the skin really well. Just a few *****s... nothing worse than a fill. Never felt the incision being cut. He numbed up the muscle really well and he and his assistant got to work. There was A LOT of tugging, pushing, pressure etc... but NO pain. It actually was soooo much better than I thought it would be.
I actually had fun. Sounds crazy I know... but I joked around with my Dr and his assistant. His assistant asked me what I do for a living... I told him I was a malpractice lawyer. Bwahaha. So that kinda got us all laughing.
I wanted so badly to see what was going on... asked why I couldn't have a mirror. I mean afterall... pregnant ladies get to watch the birth of their babies in a mirror... I wanted to watch the birth of my port. Asked Dr M if he would just take some of the fat out while he was in there. Don't think that happened though... haha.
Once the port was out they joked about how it was extra $$ to put the new one in... didn't anyone tell me?? yadda yadda. Stinkers. I told them to snap to it... and not to leave any stray tools in there. Haha. Anyway... I could go on.. but suffice it to say, it was a MUCH better experience than I thought it would be.
The leak ended up being at the seal on the edge of the port. I asked if I could keep the port... he said sure. I wanted to stick it in the middle of a dart board... use as the bullseye.. haha... but he forget and it got tossed with the rest of the bio waste. Boo.
The procedure took about an hour. I was completely aware during everything (so much for the valium... I'm telling ya... a few ****tails would have had this gal loosened right up!). I am going to be bruised tomorrow. Right now I feel like I did 100 situps... and I won't have the abs to prove it. so not fair. Icing the belly with a bag of frozen green beans... ahhh.
He filled me to 4cc's. Hopefully I can get another fill next week to bump me up. No restriction with the 4cc. HATE the idea of getting a fill. So nervous to monkey with the new port. But... at least he knows for sure where it is this time since he placed it.
I am such a sissy, I can't even touch my port area yet and I am 6 weeks out. I know it is all in my head, but it makes me nauseas to try and touch it. Hopefully soon I will get over it.
Happy to hear you did so well!
I would have never done that under local lol.
You have such a great personality and it shines through on this posting . Even though you was having surgery you had me laughing during your post lol
I wish you all the best and you will be successful at this :o)
on 1/17/11 10:30 pm, edited 1/17/11 10:30 pm - ~Somewhere in~, PA
on 1/17/11 11:01 pm - Des Moines, IA
Melissa ~ 11cc Realize Band
Experienced a leak in my port, and had no restriction for over 9 months. Had leak repair surgery on 1/31/11 and am back on my journey again! :)
I need a port put back in. The have the band and the port had to be taken out and left open to heal. since that time my insurance changed and will not pay for anything related to beriatric surgery. The hospital wants 8500.00 . Would you please tell me where you had it done under local. And the total cost. Is this a place where your doctor normally does the procedures? I am so frustrated, I have had the band for 2 1/2 years with problems. I have changed MD's due to the horrible care from the first MD> Need your input thank you.