We didn't have too wait long for my name to be called to pre-op. My aunt accompanied me around the familiar maze to a walled section so she could take my clothes once I disrobed and changed into an operating gown. I mentioned to the nurse that all the preparations seemed a bit much for a port install on my chest, an outpatient surgery. She said that when you go through the regular OR (operating room) that all the protocols have to be followed which meant it felt like my surgery prep back in January.
My surgeon did a stellar job once again. They left a needle with plastic tube hook-ups covered in gauze and tape outside the skin for tomorrow's chemo appointment which meant I couldn't take a shower. While my surgery was an hour earlier, I didn't get out until about 2pm. There was a complication of me experiencing sharp pains that brought me to tears when I breathed deeply during recovery. An x-ray of my chest was taken while I was sitting up in bed. They put a 1-inch thick large black square large enough to cover my back while a tech stood 10 feet away from me pointing a machine with light projecting cross hairs onto me while I sat up. He shot his x-ray pic and left to get immediate results.
The nurse had already injected pain medication and an anti-inflammatory drug to my IV while we waited for the results of the x-ray. Minutes later I was told there was nothing wrong with my chest and all my breathing was normal. This was double-checked later when the pain was still there. We figured out that I may have pulled a back muscle during surgery while they moved me around. Meanwhile, my aunt and uncle were getting anxious. My surgeon said they would be calling for them in a few minutes after he spoke to them. They weren't called until two hours later because I had been asleep and it had gotten too busy for my attending nurse to call. Poor things.
I was soon dressed and in a wheel chair. We had to make one stop at the salon downstairs to pick-up my wig (or hair prosthesis as was written on my prescription). I also had my uncle go through a Chik-Fil-A drive-thru for a late lunch for all of us. Our empty stomachs were making our tempers a little testy. We sat at my dining room table enjoying our chicken sandwich meals. I made coffee and I fed my uncle some ice cream for dessert. He left my aunt with me so she could make sure I was okay after surgery and also to accompany me during my first chemo appointment tomorrow. My aunt had volunteered to spend the night two weeks ago; I had been too shy to ask. I am glad she was there even as the rain continued to come.
Hugs,
Sprinkles
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POST SCRIPT
Here is pic of my surgery site after my first chemo, all the tape and plastic window coverings gone. The top incision is normally on the neck based on my research. My surgeon was kind enough to save me that conspicuous scarring so it is above the longer incision site of the port. Everything is held with skin glue that should fall off later. You may see a small red dot below the longer incision. That is area where needles for future blood draws and chemo infusions will be placed; no more trying to find a vein in my arms. I am very pleased.
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