Adieu my poor little port...

Well, the port removal wasn't as psychologically traumatic as I was letting on.  Or was it?

I remember I would feel it uncomfortably scrunched against my shoulder when I rolled onto my right side at night. Sometimes it's the annoying things that you really miss. 

I have had that port since January 13th of 2010 which makes it over a year old; and it has been gone for over a week and a half.  The incision is healing nicely which surprises me considering that other bruises in the very recent past have taken a month to go away.

The big bruise has gone away and the other odd looking spots are clearing up. 

A couple of the stickies in the middle came out way too early when I took the first bandage off two days after the surgery.  Sticky tape strips are a series of long skinny white adhesive strips covering the incision.

So I now have a bit of a scar in the middle of the incision.   The outside stickies held pretty well, and were on days longer. 

Actually, it will all be closed and that is the only thing I really care about.

I have had innumerable "port accesses" where a special needle had been inserted, and since my port was a double port (I like to say double barreled) both ports would have to be flushed; and I would get two needle sticks for the price of one.

Ouch.  I actually prefer the other sticks.  The ones in the forearm, wrist or hand.

Maybe neither are really great.

The port was the last little remnant of cancer treatment that tied me to the UNC Cancer Hospital and required me to go in monthly for flushing.  


Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life as I recover from the R-CHOP chemotherapy and the Revlimid.   I had six R-CHOP infusions and three cycles of Revlimid (about 3 months worth) and I am not very fit for work. 

I had no idea that recovery would take so long.  Issues include: not being able to walk as far as often as I would like which would help with the diabetes; my muscles being sore for a long time after I walk; feeling tired if I walk a day or two in sequence. 

The R-CHOP ended in mid April of 2010; Revlimid ended in the first couple of days of the following August. 

I'm not over it yet.

On top of this I have stenosis in the neck and thoracic region of my spine which predisposes me to headaches when I have a stressful situation; or focus too much on the computer I use for programming.

So I am seriously considering retirement; or at least a half-time retirement if possible.  Primarily because it would give me more time to sleep and tend to recovery.

Like last year I am looking forward to the beach as a place where I can feel the openness of the sky above the Ocean on a daily basis.  At least for a week.

I'll bring plenty of drugs for my neck: don't want any stinky little headaches showing up.