Hickman Or No Hickman?

Today I met with Dr. Spain, the surgeon who inserted my Hickman's. He was very surprised that I still had my Hickman from over two years ago and was wondering why I was there to see him. I told him that I was there to discuss the possibility of removing it and replacing it with a new one or possibly a port. He asked why I wanted to do that and I told him about the fevers I had been having and how my oncologist has been pressuring me to get it taken out for the last few months. His initial reaction was that I shouldn't get it taken out. He mentioned how a lot of doctors always want to have the Hickman's removed without a definite confirmation of infection and when it is removed the fevers don't change and the patient ends up going through the unnecessary procedures of having it removed and putting in something new. This is exactly what I've been fearing and has kept me from having it removed in the past.

If I do choose to have it removed however, it's a clinic appointment that takes 5 minutes. Apparently Dr. Spain would just numb the area with local anesthesia and pull the catheter. I'm not very comfortable with this at all! My first Hickman was removed this way (while I was on narcotics) and it was a horrific experience. The option of having it done in the OR (under sedation) is possible, but it would entail a whole day in the hospital (something he doesn't recommend). I would then have to wait at least two weeks before a new Hickman or port could be inserted. That would involve general anesthesia, just like any typical surgery.

So basically I'm back to where I was before...not knowing what to do. A part of me wants to take the chance in hopes that this could resolve the ongoing fevers that make me so miserable, but I think the chances of it not working are too high. In the meantime, I would have to get peripheral IV's to receive treatment, which is my biggest nightmare. There is also no trend/consistency to my fevers. One week I don't get any, the next week they're sky-rocketing, one week they're low grade. I feel that if this was an infection the fevers would be more consistent.

Given everything I know now, I'll probably discuss it with my oncologist when I see her again next week. I know ultimately the decision will be mine and it will be a difficult one...