I did some research so I was prepared for getting this port put in my body and found other blogs that were a great help. For me it wasn't so bad because the people at Moffitt tend to make everything pleasant as much as they can. When I got to Moffitt at 7:30AM they did a blood draw and sent me up to Radiology for the procedure. There were about 50 people in the waiting area for blood draw at that time but I got put on STAT to keep my procedure on schedule. I just can't believe how BUSY it is there! It's like the lines waiting to get good sales for Black Friday, unbelievable.
Next they went over everything in great detail and started my IV. Dave thought this was cool and related it to a quick disconnect, like we use in hydraulics. He went on to tell the nurse that he could do all this. He did it to horses and so this should be about the same. You just smack the area and then hit it with the needle......well, not on me you won't! In the OR it was freezing and then they prepped me with even colder sterile blue liquid and dressings. My anesthesiologist started the cocktail to put me in a twilight zone and it didn't do anything. So he gave me another round of it and still, nothing happened....I was wide awake and coherent. Then he shot me up a third time and I remember nothing. When I came to he was messing with my IV and I told him "it's still not working....". He laughed and told me they were done and I'm about to head to recovery!
There was really nothing to it and I felt nothing until the meds wore off when I got home. I took it easy the rest of the day and relaxed for a change. Here is a picture when I got home showing the bandages. They put the port just under my collar bone and then the catheter runs up and into my Jugular Vein, which then dumps into my heart. Crazy huh?! They use a port because the chemo is too much for the veins in your arm. The chemo could leak out of them and be toxic to the surrounding tissues so this is why a port is used. Not every cancer patient has the same chemo and they all have similar and different side effects. They will monitor my heart on a regular basis to make sure it remains healthy enough for treatment. Apparently the drugs I will be on is very hard on the heart. I bought a BP Monitor and stethoscope so I can listen on my own too! And for those who know me, the stethoscope I bought is purple :).
Today, 2 days later, I took off their bandages. The area was SO DARN ITCHY I couldn't take it anymore. Well, I see now that I must be allergic to that particular adhesive because it's red and my skin is very tender with small sores. SO, it doesn't hurt where they put a foreign object in my body......it was the sticker they used that hurt! I guess I need to find out what that was and make sure they don't use it again! Here I am on the right with just the Steri-Strips over the incision. I forget what they used to keep it closed but then there is some internal stitches that stay inside until they take it out. I new friend told me that this port is part of my armor for the fight, I thought that was a good analogy! I think my biggest concern is keeping my dogs from jumping on it and hurting me. I love them so much and hate that I have to be more careful around them now. My Labrador isn't the problem, it's my Dogos that want to climb on me and compete for a hug.
Getting my port in did put me back into reality of what I'm about to face. I start with my first round of chemo on Tuesday and so I have hair until about the end of the month! I am "happy" to get started and get this garbage out of my body. But to be totally honest, I am scared as well! I don't know how I will react and I worry about my body feeling weak. This is going to be hell but my life is worth it so I'll do what it takes.
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