Dr. says I have blockages and PICC lines to break, and I don't have upper body access for a port.

I have a PICC line in and this is the third one. The others broke and the dr. told me it wasn't going to last. They tried to put a port in, but the dr. Said he couldn't get the line in, it was blocked. He sent me to a vascular surgeon who is doing trial surgeries in which he cuts the inner thigh open from the groin to the inside of the knee. It is called femoral arteriovenous (I forget the other word). Anyway, I cancelled the surgery because my oncologist said I couldn't do anything while I am having extensive dental surgery.

So, I am currently praying that this PICC line will last until I can find a surgeon who can put a port in me even though doctors tell me it can't be done on me because I have no upper body access. I do not want any major surgery cutting my thigh open.

Everything always goes wrong with me, so I know I would get an infection or something. I have had ovarian cancer twice, colon cancer, skin cancer, and then the ileostomy, which has ruined my life. I have an extremely high output, and the bags constantly bust. I also have chronic dehydration, which the dr. says will happen the rest of my life. Even though my husband learned how to use the IV thing, and he hooks me up every night and we run a bag of fluids, I am constantly dehydrated.

Please someone help me find the right surgeon.

Thank you so much, and I am sorry this is so long.


Hamm108

In South Carolina, but I go to the Levine Cancer Center in Charlotte, NC, Duke in Raleigh-Durham, NC, and other out of town places. I am willing to go anywhere.

Thank you so much.

Hamm108

I am kind of on my own now with trying to find a vascular surgeon who has experience putting in a port in someone diagnosed with upper body access failure. My doctor here doesn't see why I can't have the femoral artery surgery, splitting my thigh open and pulling the vein up with a fistula.

As an example of everything always going wrong, I have radiation cystitis from my bladder being so burned from radiation every day for six weeks, plus three days spent in a radioactive room with a radioactive implant in my pelvis. Now, I have so much bleeding from my bladder that I had emergency surgery, returned home, had my PICC line break, they tried unsuccessfully to put a new one in, but couldn't. Two days later, My dr. called, said my hemoglobin too low, go to the hospital and have two blood transfusions.

Then urologist said he had never had a patient with so many things wrong with them, and he didn't know what to do with me. I may end up losing my bladder. He ordered 50 hyperbaric oxygen treatments for me, and for four months I have been going to the hospital every day - except the many days I had dr appointments and spending three hours in a chamber with nothing but a hospital gown and a blanket. You can't even wear deodorant, makeup, lipstick, etc., take a book in, nothing.

If you are still reading this rambling, I decided to go see another dentist for a checkup because even though I have a six month checkup, go see dentist after every surgery or hospitalization, and worked so hard to keep my teeth, I find out I have 8 cavities, major deterioration, have to have implants, the first of which was $2000, and I may still lose all my teeth. So, thAt is why I don't want my thigh cut open to access IV fluids, draw blood, etc. I always have things happen.

Thank you for answering. You are the only one. I guess I should have named my topic something else where more people would know to give me suggestions, but I didn't know how to do it.

Hamm108