MY PURPLE HEART

Today I got my port removed.  It was a quick surgical procedure with many stitches.  It's hard to believe that this was in my body for thirteen months.  My doctor gave it to me to keep....said it was like my own purple heart medal.  I served in the war of cancer and came out victorious...I am a warrior!

See how small it is?  The tube went up through an artery below my collarbone and the base sat snugly in my chest.  Every three weeks for the past year, this little receptacle gave me my chemo that killed the cancer.

Here it is, up close and personal.  The three raised bumps could be felt through my skin and gave the nurses the boundaries for where to insert the needle that led to the tubing that they hooked up to my IV meds.

Kind of looks like a computer mouse!

 

This is the bottom of the port.  See...it looks like a heart.

It has quite a thickness to it and I now see how deeply embedded it must have been in my chest.  No wonder the area where it once resided is feeling really sore.  I guess the anesthesia is wearing off.  Oh well, the soreness won't last forever.  Praise God this journey is over.

KISSING CANCER GOODBYE

On April 5th 2010 I had my first chemo infusion.  Today, one year later to the day, I had my last chemo infusion.  This is my last bracelet I will ever have to wear from the oncology clinic.

Here I am holding my last line that leads to my port.  Each chemo infusion I had my port accessed and through this line my chemo is infused into my bloodstream.

The nurse must program the pump that delivers my chemo.  Each time it's different if my weight fluctuates at all.  But my herceptin infusions only lasted for thirty minutes.  So, not bad at all.  When I had all three of my chemo drugs on board, I was in the chair for three hours.

One of the nurses presented me with this chocolate cupcake as a token of celebration on this special day.

Here I am with my IV pole.  I named her Fern.  Fern stood by me faithfully every three weeks for one year, and delivered my chemo that would later kill the cancer and save my life.