Ports -- Just Curious

[Emily65Roses]

I know there are others here with ports, as we've been talking about them. But I notice a lot of people talk about nurses coming to flush and change dressings and junk. I learned how to access and flush my port and take care of all of it by myself. About a year later, I taught my boyfriend Mike how to do it as well. I'm just curious, does anyone else here access their own ports? <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">

 

[Milla21]

no, my nurse does mine. i've never been offered to do my own and i've never asked. i think because the nurses wouldnt trust me and i wouldnt trust myself! i'd be way scared. i know of people who do access their own though.
ew! i couldn't imagine it! haha i'm such a woos!

 

[anonymous]

Hey Emily,
Yeah, I used to do my own port, at my old hospital. (well almost on my own) I had to have someone hold it for me because it wasn't anchored very well into my muscle. I just got a new port 2 days ago. It's in my chest. Well the dr said he put the port above the incision but I swear that when I feel it, the port feels like it is right under the incision. Is this normal. I'm kind of freaking out because I don't want there to be a problem. I know it is still swollen but I'm hoping that everything is placed ok.
The last time I was in the hosp.(the new hosp) for IV's I was being sent home on home-Iv's because its better for me. Well I needed my needle changed weekly and I told them I could do it. They freaked. I would have had to go thru a training session, etc. Needless to say, I drove back to the hosp in a week to have them change the needle and even they couldn't hit the port. That's when surgery was necessary. Glad it was them and not me trying.
Glad to see that you are independent. It's nice to have some control and say over what, how, when things happen. I love that part of CF.
Take care!
-Kelli 27 with CF

 

[Emily65Roses]

Mine is below my incision. As long as the port keeps looking okay, I'd say it's probably fine. If it bothers you a whole lot, you can always ask your doctor about it.

My nursing company loves that I can do my port myself. They ask "you don't need a nurse, right?" and they're always happy when I say yes, because it means one less nurse to hunt down. They never made me go through any kind of training, because I figure they knew I learned at my hospital. Either way, yeah that's my one thing that I love. I can access my port myself, change the needle (and take a shower inbetween doses!!) whenever I please and I LOVE having that little piece of control. <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">

 

[johngwisc]

Almost to a fault, I am very protective of my port. As long as I am conscious, I can't see myself giving up the control of dealing with my port. There are a litany of things I don't have control over in my life. My port access and maintanence is not on that list. I felt the same way about my PICC lines before my port, as well. With a brief bit of training, taking care of either the PICC or the Port at least gave me the impression that I was active in my health care. And the independence associated with self-care cannot be understated.

 

[jenhum]

I flush mine as well. When the nurses first suggested it, I was kind of nervous about it, but now it's fine. Unfortunately I broke my arm in Sept. and did nerve damage so I can't use my right hand, so I've been going to the hospital to have it done until my hand gets better. I think that I'm going to teach my parents and boyfriend how to do it next week though, b/c that sure is a lot easier. I wish I had taught them before my accident!

 

[DEZI]

im not sure how to post a message this is my first time on here, so
this a sample to see if it works

 

[DEZI]

good it works, how do you guys feel telling your girl or boyfriend
what a port is, and why its sticking out your skin

 

[Emily65Roses]

My Mike never cared, Dezi. He thought it was unique and interesting. Still does. He goes out of his way to kiss it sometimes. Hehee. And like I said below, I taught him early on how to access it himself. So not only is it weird and poking out, but he stabs me himself.

 

[Allie]

Ry did his own too, it wasn't an issue.

As far as telling, just be honest, they usually won't care. I thought it was cool.

Which reminds me of a story: Ry and I were at a local band show a few years ago, and we met some people and were talking to them. They were the usual punk types, piercings and tattoos, etc. Ry got hot and took of his over shirt and whas just wearing a white wifebeater undershirt. The guy saw his port and said "That's so cool, man! What shop did you get it done at?"

I couldn't stop laughing.

 

[fourkidsmom]

We flush our son's, who is 5 every month and access him for any home IV's. He would rather us do it than the nurses.

Angie- Fourkidsmom

 

[kybert]

i dont understand how people can access their own ports. do you guys not have any feeling over it? having my port accessed hurts more than having blood taken! and this is coming from someone who has easily stuck myself with insulin and clexane needles. even if mine didnt have any feeling i still couldnt do it. i have too much scar tissue in the pocket so quite a bit of force is needed to get it in and i would have to do it one handed because the other hand has to hold my boob away lol.

 

[fr3ak]

When I had my chest port I use to do all the accessing etc.<br>
<br>
I now have an arm port which makes it difficult to do it myself, I
have accessed it but I need someone to help hold the port so I can
stick it.....(also Anti rejection meds give me tremors so a shaky
hand also hinders me accessing it)<br>
<br>
I would rather do my own accessing because that way I know its
being done completely sterile, I have had some nurses do some
pretty dodgie stuff in regards to my accessing, so Id rather take
responsibility for it then get an infection due to poor handling on
the nurses part!<br>

 

[blindhearted]

The doctors told me and my family we could flush my port and they taught us, but I'm a chicken and cant bring myself to do it. I had a friend who was an RN and she flushed it for me (no charge). But I never had a nurse sent out to the house or anything. The friend taught Chad how to flush it too, so now Chad flushes it. But he's a nurse now too and didnt start until after he graduated. So, I dont have a nurse that was sent out by a nursing service. But no I never flushed my own port, as I said, I couldnt bring myself to do it.

 

[LindseyRose]

My husband accesses mine for me. I gave myself insulin shots for years, but I couldn't see myself accessing my own port. He likes to do it for me - it makes him feel special because he's taking care of me!!