Portless

My port was my best friend through all of my treatments.  We went through thick and thin together and it never gave up on me...at least during the thick of it.  For that I am forever grateful to my little port, but once it clogged and gave up on me, I had that sucker yanked out.  I guess it was my ports way of saying I didn't need it anymore.  I know, I'm weird, don't judge.

I haven't been that nervous in the long time for a procedure.  I had it done at my plastic surgeons office and the procedure itself only took about 30 minutes-ish.  I was hyping myself up thinking that once he pulled the catheter line from my vein that blood would shoot everywhere in the room.  I know I was being imaginative and like with every other procedure the anticipation was the worst part.  There was no splatter paint of blood everywhere, the only thing was I got so nervous I was pouring sweat...but I am going to blame that on the Tamoxifen.  I was awake the whole time and mostly did not feel a thing, just pressure.

My sweet little port was deep.  I was told that not only by my plastic surgeon as he was practically knee deep in the incision trying to get it out, but my infusion nurses told me that as well, which was nice compared to some people's ports because mine was not very obvious to people who didn't know what I was going through, plus my scar was so faded that unless I pointed it out it really was not noticeable. 

After I was done, I asked to keep it.  I am a hoarder of "memories" and while my cancer was scary, that port saved my arm from more pokes than I can even begin to count.  Kind of a weird request and I totally thought the nurses would have heard that  before, but I guess there is a first time for everything. 



Isn't it cute?  Purple is a nice color for it!  I think I am going to turn it into a Christmas ornament? Maybe a little bedazzling or a possible DIY Pinterest idea?.....or not.  I think I'll just keep it in my jewelry box. 

Nothing is ever easy and healing from this was also difficult.  The week following it was extremely painful, throbbed most of the time, which made it difficult to sleep and it was tender to the touch.  I figured it was due to the fact that my port was so deep, but I still was not expecting that.  The pain was not enough to take any pain pills, I just sucked it up because I do not like how they make me feel, but to see a light at the end of the tunnel, exactly one week out from its removal, I woke up and felt AMAZING.  No pain at all, it was actually itchy which obviously meant it was healing and I was happy.  The incision took about a week to ten days to heal.  I made a follow up appointment for two weeks after the procedure and am now portless...

As you can see the scar is healing nicely, I'm super happy, especially compared to when I had it first put in:

One word of advise:  Don't get a port taken out on a holiday where there will be lots of cocktails.  Mine was taken out on St. Patty's Day, which I planned it that way thinking some drinks would numb the pain and while I celebrated after with beer and dinner, it did not do me any good and I felt like crap the next day.  Lesson # 2,156.