Port Scare

Last night, while I was working on administering Brad's treatments, we had a problem with one of the ports. Brad's right veinus port wasn't working...when I pulled back on the syringe all I got was air, when I tried to push in the saline...complete resistance...nothing would go in. Knowing that Brad's ports hadn't been accessed since we left MB (a week prior), I got very nervous. I had a knot in my stomach, realizing that the port was most likely clotted. I pulled out the needle, got another and tried again...still not working.

I then called my ER nurse friend, Cindy, who immediately came over to offer assistance. She reinserted the needle again...still nothing. She then proceeded to put Brad into different positions and tried to push and pull on the syringe...hoping to work out any small clotting. Nothing worked. In the end she put heporin into the syringe and pushed that directly against the clot. Still nothing. She left that night instructing us to go in first thing in the morning to see our doctor.

Brad & I were so disappointed at the thought of this port problem. Visions of going back into surgery where running rampant through our minds. We went to bed feeling so defeated....my jet-lagged mind could not even think about the idea of another surgery. I just didn't know where I was going to find the energy to help Brad through another surgery to put in a new port. We prayed and prayed that God would clear the port.

So, this morning at 8 I called into Methodist Hospital to try to speak with Dr. Lehane (he is the oncologist that we saw just before Brad's last surgery in March...Lehane ran several tests on Brad to ensure that he would be able to undergo surgery.) Dr. Lehane ended up being out of town so we spoke with one of his affiliates, Dr. Baynart. Dr. Baynart told us to come on in and have one of the nurses works on the clotted port. As soon as the nurse put the syringe in with the medication and pulled back...out came blood....HOoRaY!! I was so excited, I could have kissed that woman! What an answer to prayers! What a relief. I felt so happy and so thankful that the port was working. Thank you God for laying your hands on Brad and clearing the port. We are both so grateful.