Today I had my Medi-Port inserted. This is the last preparatory step before I go in for chemotherapy and immunotherapy on Monday. The port means that I will not have to go through the painful process of getting an IV inserted for every chemo session, every CT contrast injection, etc. Both I and the frustrated folks who have to find a vein will be glad about that. However, it's kind of gross to have this thing implanted in me. I try not to think too much about it.
Readers may have realized over the course of the previous paragraph that I am a very squeamish person. Not about everything—I can handle things like dirt and cow manure with the best of them. But blood, no. As I spoke to my surgeon about the procedure this morning, it occurred to me how different he and I are in this respect, and what a very good thing this is. I am so glad there are people in the world who are different from me!
This is just one of the very many ways in which I have come to appreciate doctors, nurses, and medical technicians in a new way recently. Where would we be without them?
Meanwhile, I am resting up from the procedure and the anesthesia, and doing fine. For the relevant value of "fine."
Heartfelt thanks to all who have reached out with good wishes to me or my family recently.
It may seem like the smallest appetizer fort the trials to come, but even the fact that this went okay is something. When I was hospitalized in a tiny...um...facility in Kotor, Montenegro, and required intravenous this and that for a week, it took the staff three days to decide a port might be a good idea. By then one IV, in my left wrist, had caused my arm to swell up to the elbow and another in my right hand left my elbow locked, and 16 months later I still can't bend it properly. Let's take your doctor's skill (and lack of squeam) as a hopeful sign for things to come!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, Tim. I admit that it doesn't yet feel worth it!
DeleteWhere did you get it? Arm or chest? Will this require maintenance? Flushing etc? If so, who in the family is the least squeamish. :-)
ReplyDeleteChest. And I think I'll be seeing medical people often enough for them to deal with it. If not, everyone in the family is less squeamish than I am, so all good!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update. My family has been praying for you and your family every night since Gita shared the news of your diagnosis. Let's hope the next step goes as smoothly as this one did!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Suzie!
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard about the port I was thinking the same thing! I feel like I would be totally... shall I say put off by it...
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