Friday, December 14, 2012

Port Pictures




The Port was installed about 2 1/2 years ago. it is inserted just below the skin and attached to the top of the rib cage. A tube runs up and into the jugular vein.
Every time Luke went to get chemo or an EUA he was accessed which means the tap into the port so they don't need to continue poking him. kinda like an IV in your hand.

Chemo is injected into this as for young children the type of treatment Luke received for chemo was a really strong dose and would have burned through normal veins.

when just going for an EUA they access the port and draw blood and anything else they need to do.

when not in use the resevoir is filled with a drug called heparin which is a blood thinner and makes sure no clots form in the port.

Pre-op you can see the port under the skin
A port can last up to 10 years or that's what we were told at least.
Post-op 
Actual Port that was removed



Thursday, December 13, 2012

Port removal

Well 12/12/12 was the date and we had Luke's port removed.

We weren't to sure how things would go as Luke had a bit of a cough. But he was cleared by the doctors to go ahead with the removal. So everything went fine Luke got a dose of  midazolam to help calm his nerves. He's been having a tough time going in by himself so we gave him a little helper to "relax" him.

So surgery goes fine port is removed and into recovery he goes. BUT low and behold there is something wrong. His oxygen stats are low around 85 when they should be around 97-99%

So on oxygen he goes and the doctors start to hear "crackles" (medical terminology)
And the doctors are nervous. So they tell us we are staying to keep an eye on things.

Then begins the barrage if doctors. Ophthalmology who is the primary doctors but thy don't know nything about the lungs or the body just the eyes so they defer to pediatrics but these guys have no idea what's going on. BUT
While we're still in post op we're the responsibility of anesthesiologist BUT were also under the care of the IGT team (the guys who removed the port)

So thats 4 different departments.

And everyone has a stake in the case. It makes sense that peds is in charge cause he is having some lung issues and what do these other guys know about lungs.

Doctors decide Luke has a mild case of pneumonia. But no one is sure how to proceed and no one is telling us when we are leaving.

During the night Luke was having a horrible time sleeping because of his cough. I ask the nurse can you give him something and she tells me no we don't have cough syrup.(your a hospital, and you can't give him something to sleep or stop coughing.) so I have to go down to Starbucks for some honey and warm water and 10 minutes after he drinks it BAM he's out daddy to the rescue

In the morning ophthalmology comes in and tells us we can go home.
IGT comes is says hi
Peds comes in and says hey we're gonna take a look then I'm gonna go get another dr so you can!
Explain everything again.

Other doctor comes in says ya were gonna do an X-ray I say umm no your not he doesn't need one dr
says well we need to rule out some bull%^#%% EXSCUSE about bout blood clots in his leg which when I tell Monica she looses it cause she can't think why he'd have a clot in the first place. Turns out this guy is just a douche who wants an X-ray.

Next door I notice dr Chan. (Oh oh someones in trouble) I catch her and get her help
To get us out and sure enough an hour later we're leaving. Also finding out that the dr in emerg
are running tests that they shouldnt be (oh oh)


Needless to say we're home. We're rested and glad to be rid of the port.