Yesterday I had my chemo port removed. It was in the office of my surgeon. I didn't get to watch, because the blue sterile drape covered my head! It didn't really hurt, just pressure part of the time, and "bee sting" feelings for the stitching back up. I made the mistake of saying "yes" to the doctor's thoughtful suggestion of a waterproof bandage, so that I could have a shower last night. Too late I realized it was the clear bandage I have developed an allergy to throughout the course of this year's procedures! By evening, I was quite red where the sterile drape (with the hole for the procedure) had been adhered for the 15 minutes and where the clear bandage was. Immediately after the shower, I removed the bandage and put a large bandaid on. Normal bandaids don't affect me like the fancy hospital ones do. Vitamin E cream helped a lot with the burning of the allergic reaction. The skin is missing in one spot, but the redness is less today.
I have 6 steri strips on top of the stitches. The steri strips will fall off by themselves in the next week or so. The stitches are supposed to dissolve. A resident shadowing my surgeon did all the sewing.
I am so grateful to have the port out. It was a wonderful thing to have in my body as long as I needed it. I am glad to not need it anymore!
Next week I will see the plastic surgeon one last time and the following day, I will have a fasting blood sugar test, a chest xray, and get to fill out a questionnaire to start the clinical trial of Metformin (or a placebo, if that is the group I fall into). The tamoxifen, (anti-estrogen drug), has been ordered and has not yet arrived, but I'll be taking it daily.
The excellent news today is that I believe I can taste foods accurately now! It is wonderful when food tastes like it is supposed to taste, rather than the taste of a tin can. I am very thankful for that.
Though I still have bruising on three of my fingernails, only one fingernail is loose more than half way down. I think I will only lose that one, if it comes off.
My hair is growing already! Some are just emerging, but there are some up to 3/4 inch long and every length in between. So far, no curls... I have very sparse eyebrows.
I am feeling stronger this week. The weakness of arms and legs was my biggest complaint since the final chemo. Something about "cumulative effect," I suppose.
God has blessed me so much by getting me through the cancer journey. I want to use the time He gives me to be a blessing to others, to give Him praise and honor, and to accomplish what He has planned for the rest of my life. Thank you each one for the prayers you have prayed for me.
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