Hi Judy

Loving the Ty - no side effects, only once a month (unlike the Interferons) and no relapses for a really long time. I have been using it for four years now and I am JC+ but in Australia they don't test the titre levels, so I don't know how susceptible/unlikely I am to get PML.

I just know I want to keep using it for as long as I possibly can.

Hi Lyn,

I hope you recover quickly and feel better soon! I'm hoping you will end up loving the port -- it will certainly make getting Ty easier. The last couple of times I had Ty and/or blood taken it took them 2 times. What a pain! (Literally and figuratively).

That's great news Lynn. So glad that things are going well for you .

With love, Erika

Yay!!!!

Used it for the first time yesterday - so easy, got it first go, no bruising, no bleeding - glad I didn't see the needle they used until they took it out though - it didn't hurt at all, but it looked more like a harpoon than a needle (it only had to pierce a couple of layers of skin and then it went into the silicone in the port) - but I think if had seen it first I would have chickened out - not knowing what to expect.

Too easy - and hands-free

Lynn it will be easier each time and it will be so much easier emotionally because you see how easy it is compared to what it was with the old way.

Absolutely - now I know how easy it is.

I feel bad when I am in the oncology ward having it done though - it really brings it home how much worse it could be. Yesterday, although I was just having a bit of a laugh with the staff, the patients in there were so very nice - reassuring me that it would be easy, and being genuinely interested and sympathetic about my MS Dx - I felt like such a fraud - I would be fine and they would leave after Chemo, be sick, lose their hair, and sadly for some, eventually (or even soon) lose their lives.

Still, the goodness of the human spirit shines through, and without exception they were beautiful and genuine. When we know how much there is to lose, do we realise how much we gain by connecting and being closer to others? Is that part of our humanity?

Anyway, enough philosophy, I have my head around using my Port - now I just have to get my head around the prospect (unlikely, but always there) of PML.

I just wanted to say when I was having chemo last year the infusion room was always a happy place to be....the nurses were kind and 99% of the patients wanted to talk and laugh. I'm a very chatty person so other than a few bad needle times I was good to go. Still wish I had gotten a port.

During treatment when I was at the clinic seeing another drs I would always stop by to see the nurses and talk to the patients having infusions....always seemed to brighten their day and mine too

Thanks for reminding me that we can make a difference in people's lives, if only for a few minutes.

Debi from Georgia