Ports and Puking

May 3, 2016—Port Surgery



We had to wait a little over a month to get all of our ducks in a row before proceeding. The plan at my place of work was to send me to training to become a forensic interviewer, because I was unsure of how sick I was going to be during treatment, I thought it was best that I go to training before I started treatment. Then the following week I was undergoing the steps to freeze my eggs. I ended up having to miss a planned vacation with my brother, sister-in-law and niece to Disney World.  Sadly, I had to miss the picture below in person, so I could create memories with her, and my own children at Disney in the future.

 

The Chemo-Port

 

 

The surgery for my chemo port is actually my first real surgery besides getting my tonsils taken out in the third grade. A port (chemo port-a catheter) is a nifty little device that they put in you to receive chemotherapy. Because thye medicine given during chemo can burn you veins, I was strongly suggested to get this device, and looking back now, I’m glad I did. They can take blood samples, and give you your chemo treatment all through your port, in essence, fewer needles, less pokes, less pain.  Advice: ask for lidocaine cream to apply a half hour before your chemo appointment, and you won’t even feel that needle.

The special soap to shower with

Learn more about chemo ports here: http://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-treated/chemotherapy/catheters-and-ports-cancer-treatment

They give you this special soap to shower with the night before surgery. You not allowed to eat or drink past midnight. I walked in fairly confident, but, as soon as they gave me the gown to put on, it became real again. You see, I really didn’t feel like I was sick or I had cancer until I was in the hospital. It hit me, that they were going to put this device in, theoretically to help save my life, I saw it as the device that was going to help kill every good and bad cell in my body. Anyway, the  day of surgery you have to submit a urine sample, to ensure that you’re not pregnant. I believe I was in and out of the O.R. in two hours or so. Your mind plays tricks on you, you lead yourself to believe that things will be worse than they are, and in retrospect, port surgery was one of the easiest parts of this process.

You’re a little sore for a few days afterword’s, but completely manageable with pain killers and in fact Tylenol. However--- ADVICE: let your body rest, and always eat before you take a pain pill.



Bandage is where the port was placed.

However, the next day, I tried to be superwoman and go to work. I was scheduled to go to a meeting with a few co-workers in the next county over. I took my scheduled hydrocodone, without breakfast, and just as my ride pulled in the driveway, I got sick. I didn’t want to make Dave’s trip wasted by picking me up, and I didn’t want to call off work, so I grabbed a granola bar, a few grocery bags and jumped into his new-Dodge pickup truck. The meeting was roughly an hour away, my stomach still was not agreeing with me. As we were about five miles away from our destination, I started to feel hot, my throat started to sweat. Oh No! Not in his truck, but yes, I grabbed my grocery bags and got sick two times by the time we reached the courthouse. I felt so embarrassed, and I was afraid that this was what my life was going to be like for the next year so I started crying. Looking back at the story now, it’s not as embarrassing, I’m just glad I didn’t ruin his truck! The funny part of the story though...there was no trashcans outside the courthouse… so, I had to explain to security that they did not want this grocery bag to go through their metal detector, and that they surely didn’t want to look in it. Trying to remain as professional as possible, I informed them of what was in the bag, now realizing I didn’t pose a threat and a little disgusted, the officer let me through to dispose of my bag. I felt sick for the remainder of the day and in fact I had to travel two hours to Syracuse and back that day with mom for an egg appointment, where I continued to get sick while traveling. This cancer journey was sure going to be interesting.