Anticipation

The past week has been filled with appointments, coffee dates, lunch dates, naps and memorable times with friends and family. I am enjoying this interlude before surgery as much as possible and am ready to roll.

This morning I requested we add "port placement" to the list of things the surgeons will do to me on Thursday whilst I slumber in my very deep sleep. This decision came after checking one more time with my oncologist, making sure it is, indeed, his intention to have me do chemo again. As long as he is pushing for chemo, I opted for the port to be placed right away.

(A port is a device inserted under the skin over the heart that elminates the need to find a vein for IV infusion every time you go in for chemotherapy. Last time, my oncologist didn't think a port was necessary, but after the skin of my hand and arm was eaten away from close proximity to the chemo drugs, I insisted on a port late in the game. (See photo of the port I saved from my last round, below.)

The body of the port is what receives the needle and the tail of the port goes directly into a vessel that leads directly to the heart.

Now my time in surgery just became a bit longer, so I will insist my sister Elaine and husband Gregory bring plenty of stuff to do with them while they wait for me to come out of recovery.

Today I see a psychiatrist who specializes in cancer patients. She is going to manage my depression meds and my sleep aids during treatment. I do not wish to go through the months of sleeplessness I experienced last time, so I do hope she has a solution.

Tomorrow I have one last consult with the plastic surgeon to make sure we're on the same page as far as decisions that will have to be made while I am under anesthetics. The lab will begin testing the tumor while I am still on the table, so depending on what those results show, the surgeon will be looking at options for closing the hole made by my insurance-approved "wide chest wall excision." Doesn't that sound like fun?

Wish I could be there to watch and listen while all of this goes on. It's AFTER surgery is over that I will wish to be put under.

Thanks for all the attention I've been getting. I would not really like to do this without caring friends and family to report to.