Port Installation

We saw the oncologist at 9:30 and reviewed the plan for chemotherapy. The doctor determined it would be best to start on Monday instead of tomorrow (Friday) since I will require infusions on two consecutive days. The first day will require approximately 8 hours as two medications are involved; the second day will be shorter with only one of the two required. I will be on a 4 week cycle initially which means two days of chemo every four weeks. This is the mild form of chemo with less side effects. Hope that is the case. He will do another bone marrow biopsy after the fourth cycle to see how things are progressing along with blood tests prior to each cycle.

This afternoon I had a port put in to simplify the infusion process. That took a couple hours from arrival to departure, but went smoothly. It was done at Kadlec Medical Center and the doctor and nurses were good at explaining what would be done. Even had a sample of the port and catheter to touch and feel. The installation is surgery and was done in an operating room. The port avoids using a vein in my arm each time. Some of the chemo drugs are hard on the veins and the port should provide better mixing and distribution in the blood stream. 

So keep those prayers coming!

Love,
Paula