Next, let me apologize to CMC-University, which in a moment of anger yesterday I referred to as a "B-level" facility. Everyone was great there this morning and I successfully had my port placed.
This was another surgery performed under mild anesthesia (a.k.a. "Twilight")...so although I do not recall everything, I feel like I was very engaged...which you know the doctors and nurses loved. As part of the preparation for the surgery, a sheet was taped to the base of my neck and then used to create a "tent" where a nurse could sit beside me and neither of us would see the real action going on. This nurse, Charlotte, and I talked about music, work, my upcoming chemo and many other things as I prodded her for additional narcotics. I was done in about 75 minutes, then spent another hour or so in recovery until I was discharged.
The port is under the large piece of gauze. The smaller piece of gauze is an incision they made to help guide the catheter into a vein headed to my heart.
You can see the "port" below the scar (this photo was taken in March after a few months of healing). It has several "bumps" to guide needles into it. You can also see the catheter running up and over the clavicle, then into a large vein that then runs to the heart.
Chemo starts tomorrow at 10 AM at Dr. Frenette's office in Ballantyne. I am scared, but find confidence in the fact that I have chosen the right doctor and that all of you are thinking of me and praying for me.
Bring on the Red Devil & Friends (sounds like a bad children's TV show)!
