March 6th, 2019 - Port Surgery
March 6th, 2019 - God has such perfect timing. On Ash Wednesday, I went to the hospital to have surgery for my port-a-cath placement. (A port-a-cath is a device placed under the skin on the left side of the chest. It is attached to a catheter that is threaded into a large vein - thanks Google) This is an ingenious invention that takes away the process of finding a good vein to inject medications through, so you get pricked less and when you do get pricked it always works. I hope whoever thought of this is enjoying a wonderful life because as I’m writing this (on April 3rd) I have been in treatment for a month and I have needed to use the port dozen times already. It’s where they draw my blood for labs to check my blood count and other special tests, and it is what they use to introduce the chemotherapies as well as the targeted immunotherapies.
One thing about me is that I love water and one of the things you are NOT allowed to do before surgery is drink water up to 12 hours beforehand. My surgery was scheduled at noon which meant my being up for 4 hours and NOT being able to drink anything so naturally, the night before at 11:59PM I downed my entire 22oz water bottle.
The next day my brother, John,, brought my sister, Jenny, and I to the hospital at 8:30am. The check-in was fairly quick and I was brought to the back for labs/bloodwork and went to my room where 5-6 people told me “I’m going to ask you the same 20 questions that a handful of people are going to ask you right after I leave.” I appreciated that cause it was repetitive, but it was fine because everyone was so incredibly nice and friendly. By 10:00am they brought my siblings back to sit in the room with me while we waited for my surgery time of 12:30PM.
Right before surgery, Jenny was able to lead us in prayer and that helped to calm me. Then they wheeled me down the hall, then sedated me and I honestly was only awake in the room for maybe... 1 minute before I was out. Prior to surgery, the doctor had said it would be a 30-45 minute procedure and I would stay for maybe an hour more to wear off the anesthesia. When I woke up, I was in the recovery room; apparently, it took a little over an hour and post-procedure I slept for another 1 1/2 hours to work through the anesthesia. Around 3:00pm they brought me to a visiting area where my siblings were able to join me and it took another hour of resting, taking some medications, and eating some water and crackers before they let me go.
When I got home I was able to take a nap before we went to Mass for Ash Wednesday, which was great, and I felt like it was so fitting that I would get my port in which would mark the real start of my treatment on the first day of this penitential season. Now I knew my treatment was going to last until mid-July, well past the Lenten and Easter seasons but I prayed that this Lent would be fruitful, for myself, my family and all those whom God has brought into my life, especially the intentions that people have shared with me and those He places on my heart. I feel God has been so intentional with the timing of events and how He has prepared me to accept this and walk with Him. So incredibly grateful for the gift of faith that He has given me and how He continues to make Himself so present to me throughout this journey. One of the ways in which He does this so poignantly is through all of your constant love and support. Thank you all for your generosity and kind messages, it is always so touching to hear from you. Please know I am praying for you all :) Have a blessed Lent!
