Power port- Engage!

My arm IV days are now over.  Well... not entirely, I'm told.  My new power port has been installed just below my right collarbone.  Both IV infusions and blood draws may now be taken from a little metal port with a silicone entry point offering no guessing or "vein chasing".  The port leads to a large vein that leads directly to my heart.  The catch is that only certified RNs are allowed to use them.  The place where I have my dilation procedure done has already informed me that they are not certified to use ports.  So arm pokes will still be necessary on some procedures.

Dad and I practice weird expressions

It turned out to be a long day.  My last meal was supposed to be before 7:00am (egg custard) and I was told to arrive at 12:30.  My dad was in town so I asked him to be my procedure companion/driver.  His sister (my Aunt Nancy) asked to join us so she could cheer me on and hang out with her big brother for a while.  It turned out to be a longish visit because the "Interventional Radiology Unit" had had an emergency that morning that had set the whole schedule behind.  Nancy prompted dad for navy stories, many of which I had never heard before.

At about 3:30 they finally wheeled me down to their CT scan-assisted operating room.  I'd met the doctor before.  He was the same one who did my first (inconclusive) liver biopsy.  A part of me wanted to chat about that with him but a larger part of me just wanted to let it go.  They would not have discovered the lymphoma except for that inconclusive result.  I'm sure he is a fine doctor.

The nurses and the radiologist proceeded to tape and tuck and drape in order to expose my jugular and collarbone in just the right way. They slathered it up nicely with prep solutions.  After sending some saline and an antibiotics through the IV, they administered the Versed.  It is supposed to make you sleepy and relaxed.  The dose they gave me did relax me but I was awake for the whole thing.  At least that is my impression. There are two incision points so there were two "bee stings" of numbing solutions.  I couldn't see anything (nor did I want to) but I felt a lot of pushing and and could follow what was happening through the O.R. comments. Pretty soon they were closing and there was a clear point when the doctor was finished and leaving the room.  The nurses stuck around to clean up and un-tuck me and explain about the tissue "glue" that would rub off in about 5 days.

Back in the room, they needed to monitor me for about an hour before I could go home.  I was feeling pretty hungry and they offered me a few options and I opted for yogurt and pudding.  They also had sandwiches but I'm still a bit gun-shy when it comes to bread, despite the fact that I had a dilation just the day before.  My dad was called back into the room and we hung out for an hour and received post-op instructions.

Back at home by about 5:30, I was disappointed that the pool temp had gone up only 4 degrees over the day.  I guess the hazy atmosphere affected the efficiency of the solar heater.

Mary and I had a lovely visit and terrific conversation with her nephew Graham and his girlfriend Nicole who were in town visiting from New York. At one point I turned my head to the left and got my first hint that the anesthetic was wearing off.  From that point on I became aware about which kinds of movements, including coughing, would aggravate the incisions.

It is now the next morning and I'm still a bit sore.  I'll take it easy today.  Tomorrow is Mary's birthday and Monday I'll get to try out this new port as the Cancer Center once again inflicts their worst chemicals on me.