Accessing your port

[Aspiemom]

I just heard from a few people on Facebook that they access their ports themselves. They were taught how to do it and they access it each month and do their own flushing.

I never heard of such a thing and I would think that would save me some money and problems.

I'd be interested in hearing how many of you access your own ports.

 

[Aspiemom]

I just heard from a few people on Facebook that they access their ports themselves. They were taught how to do it and they access it each month and do their own flushing.

I never heard of such a thing and I would think that would save me some money and problems.

I'd be interested in hearing how many of you access your own ports.

 

[Aspiemom]

I just heard from a few people on Facebook that they access their ports themselves. They were taught how to do it and they access it each month and do their own flushing.
<br />
<br />I never heard of such a thing and I would think that would save me some money and problems.
<br />
<br />I'd be interested in hearing how many of you access your own ports.

 

[Keepercjr]

Debbi

I don't access my own port - my husband does it. The home health care nurse taught him when I first got it (almost 10 years ago). I would think your home care nurse could teach you.

 

[Keepercjr]

Debbi

I don't access my own port - my husband does it. The home health care nurse taught him when I first got it (almost 10 years ago). I would think your home care nurse could teach you.

 

[Keepercjr]

Debbi
<br />
<br />I don't access my own port - my husband does it. The home health care nurse taught him when I first got it (almost 10 years ago). I would think your home care nurse could teach you.

 

[tleigh]

Debbi,
My doc let the home health care nurse know that she could teach us to do this. My husband accesses it and does the monthly flushes and well as accessing when I am getting ready to do IV's.

There has been several instances where he has been unavailable to do it and I access it using a mirror in our bathroom to watch that I access it correctly.

This makes life much easier for us-we can do stuff on our time schedule rather than trying to figure out when a nurse can come.

 

[tleigh]

Debbi,
My doc let the home health care nurse know that she could teach us to do this. My husband accesses it and does the monthly flushes and well as accessing when I am getting ready to do IV's.

There has been several instances where he has been unavailable to do it and I access it using a mirror in our bathroom to watch that I access it correctly.

This makes life much easier for us-we can do stuff on our time schedule rather than trying to figure out when a nurse can come.

 

[tleigh]

Debbi,
<br />My doc let the home health care nurse know that she could teach us to do this. My husband accesses it and does the monthly flushes and well as accessing when I am getting ready to do IV's.
<br />
<br />There has been several instances where he has been unavailable to do it and I access it using a mirror in our bathroom to watch that I access it correctly.
<br />
<br />This makes life much easier for us-we can do stuff on our time schedule rather than trying to figure out when a nurse can come.

 

[jaimers]

my home health nurse taught me how to do it. It's easier for me because I don't have to worry about coordinating schedules with a nurse or going into clinic. I just call my home health company whenever i need supplies and they send out needles, flushes (saline and heparin), a dressing change kit (for the chloraprep/cleaning swabs) and a cap for the tube attached to the needles. I would definitely look into doing it yourself if you feel comfortable! It took me a couple of tries to feel confident doing it and i totally freaked out the first time haha but i did it and it's no biggie now....

 

[jaimers]

my home health nurse taught me how to do it. It's easier for me because I don't have to worry about coordinating schedules with a nurse or going into clinic. I just call my home health company whenever i need supplies and they send out needles, flushes (saline and heparin), a dressing change kit (for the chloraprep/cleaning swabs) and a cap for the tube attached to the needles. I would definitely look into doing it yourself if you feel comfortable! It took me a couple of tries to feel confident doing it and i totally freaked out the first time haha but i did it and it's no biggie now....

 

[jaimers]

my home health nurse taught me how to do it. It's easier for me because I don't have to worry about coordinating schedules with a nurse or going into clinic. I just call my home health company whenever i need supplies and they send out needles, flushes (saline and heparin), a dressing change kit (for the chloraprep/cleaning swabs) and a cap for the tube attached to the needles. I would definitely look into doing it yourself if you feel comfortable! It took me a couple of tries to feel confident doing it and i totally freaked out the first time haha but i did it and it's no biggie now....

 

[JennifersHope]

I don't know if it is because I am a nurse or not but I have always accessed my own port. IN fact, when I go in to the hospital, I usually have it accessed before I go in. Of course if it is an emergency then they do it...

 

[JennifersHope]

I don't know if it is because I am a nurse or not but I have always accessed my own port. IN fact, when I go in to the hospital, I usually have it accessed before I go in. Of course if it is an emergency then they do it...

 

[JennifersHope]

I don't know if it is because I am a nurse or not but I have always accessed my own port. IN fact, when I go in to the hospital, I usually have it accessed before I go in. Of course if it is an emergency then they do it...

 

[debs2girls]

I access my daughter's port before going into the hospital because they are incompetent...also flush it every month.

 

[debs2girls]

I access my daughter's port before going into the hospital because they are incompetent...also flush it every month.

 

[debs2girls]

I access my daughter's port before going into the hospital because they are incompetent...also flush it every month.

 

[jenhum]

I flush mine every month, and access/de-access it when I am on home IV's (nice b/c I can take a good shower inbetween). I've been doing it myself for almost 10 years, it's not bad at all. My new port is super easy to access, but my old one was SO deep that I was usually the only one that could access it- nurses just couldn't feel it good enough to get it.

 

[jenhum]

I flush mine every month, and access/de-access it when I am on home IV's (nice b/c I can take a good shower inbetween). I've been doing it myself for almost 10 years, it's not bad at all. My new port is super easy to access, but my old one was SO deep that I was usually the only one that could access it- nurses just couldn't feel it good enough to get it.