Info about my port - Nov 1, 2022 (imported from Facebook)

Hey everyone. 

 I know I haven't updated since my last chemo, but it's been the normal cycle of aches, nausea and all that fun stuff the first week. Then just trying to stay away from germs, since my ability to fight off infection is low. I've been feeling pretty good. 🤗 

 I got another Covid booster, so this is my fifth. I got my fourth in August but it was not the new version. So they wanted me to get the new version as soon as I could. I have to time it around my chemo treatments so that if I have any side effects from the booster, I can recuperate before I have chemo and have all of those side effects, fun fun. 

 Detailed medical info coming if you are squeamish... 

 I wanted to share some information about my port. This is something that was new to me and there was lots of random information but not everything that I wanted to know in an easy to understand way. 

So you'll kind of see me pointing out two scars, a larger (at the ring finger) one that's lower and then a really small (at the printer finger) one that's up higher. When they inserted the port, they used the smaller hole to help guide the tube inside. The larger scar is where the port actually is. 

It's a large round button size disc with an opening under my skin that is easily accessed with a needle so that they can draw blood or give me fluids or medicine. This is how I receive my chemo treatment. And also how they take blood which is so much easier than trying to find a vein in my hand or arm. The opening under my skin has like a film to cover it so the port isn't just open in there. 

 I couldn't find any information about what it's like inside my body, what I might feel with it, or if it restricts any movement. So there's a tube that goes from that disc up over my collarbone into a vein that goes back down behind my collarbone into my heart. So the tube goes directly into my heart. 

The tip of my middle finger is actually touching it. Sometimes it's tight, but most of the times it's loose. I can feel it with my fingers, and sometimes you can see it if I move a certain way. I don't usually feel anything just sitting here. And I definitely don't feel them accessing it nearly as much as when they need to draw blood from my arm or hand. It stings less than a shot (booster, flu, etc). In the beginning it was weird, getting used to it. 

When they access it at the hospital, they flush it with saline to make sure there isn't anything blocking. I can taste that in my mouth, it's pretty gross tasting... 

When some medicines go in, if they are cold, I might feel it a little bit. When I had the allergic reaction to one of the pre-meds back before the first chemo, it felt like something was going through me that shouldn't be, but I couldn't do anything to stop it. And unfortunately the nurse had left the room. I blacked out and scared a few years off Wil's life... 

 When it was first put in, I was so worried about moving my neck because I didn't know how it worked and what it was doing. I didn't want to pull it the wrong way or anything. My Uncle also has a port and is going thru chemo, so I was able to ask him some questions which helped. Now that I'm used to it, I have full range of motion. I can move my neck with no restrictions. If I tilt it all the way to the left (ear to shoulder), it definitely makes it tighter. They sometimes have me do that to get the blood flowing for blood draws. 

 If you have questions, please feel free to ask. 

My 6th (and last scheduled) chemo treatment is this Friday! I'll post then with any new information and if course how excited I am to be done.🥰

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