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.

Wow! You sure are brave!! I am not sure I could have done that under local. Whew!! You had me sweating on that one! LOL
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!

Glad it went well.  kate

Lori,

 SO glad to hear that everything went so perfectly!

GREAT NEWS!!  now you can be on your way!

We CAN and WILL be successful!   

Connie

I'm so glad things went well with you and to be joking around like that , you are one brave girl kudos to you because i would just passed out lmao.

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)

Congrats on your port replacement surgery, it sounded like a breeze, I am over 5 years post op and anything to do with my band has always been strangely fun too!!! Wishing you much success in weight loss with your new port!!!

Sounds like you got great care and I'm glad it went so well! 

yay, congrats on the port replacement!!! I'm glad it went so well for you! Sounds like it was really "easy" almost! :) I have surgery scheduled for 1/31 to fix a leaky port/catheter, might not need a new port, they won't know till they open me up. I'm apprehensive that insurance won't cover it cuz my aftercare is not being done at a center of excellence hospital. Fingers crossed! :) I hope you feel better real soon!!!

I was worried the leak was not going to be in the port. Luckily it was. I saved over $2000 having it replaced under local anesthesia... and since I am self pay... that was a huge issue for me. 

Good luck with your upcoming surgery! I hope it goes smoothly for you!! 

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.