What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been

Now hear this:  The mediport is out.  I repeat: The mediport it O U T!!!  And I have it in a ziplock baggie in my purse.  HA!  Some of O's students wanted to see it, & I just wanted it.  Removing the port is, to me, symbolic of The End...all will be well.

Anyway, backin up a bit.  Mediport removal was scheduled for Tuesday, December 7.  And I just felt the need to express my appreciation to my awesome surgeon, Dr V, in some way.  So when I saw the pink poinsettia at the store, I thought, how perfect!  So I wrote a little Thank You note & put it in the plant & brought it to give to Dr V.

And we got there & Dr V got right down to business.  Didn't even give me a chance to start the whole freak out - panic - cryfest I thought would happen.  Yeah, I was a bit nervous waiting for him to come in, but, he came in, gave me a gown, & then when he came back, it was ON....or...out.  He numbed up the area & then just got to work. And O & Dr V & I were all chitty chattin away while he worked.  And yes, he says it would be expected to see a touch of lymphedma with that many lymph nodes removed.  He said he's seen it with 1 node removed.  So, good thing I got my sleeve & learned the "self massage" treatment. #notlikethat

And about 15 minutes after Dr V began, we were leavin with my "Little Alien Buddy" in my purse.  Of course I'd want to keep it.  I kind of think of it as my "shield" in this battle I've been through.  So I have it.  (I also still have the irrigation syringe from my wisdom tooth removal, so, yeah, I'm just weird I guess!)

Say hallo to mah lil' friend!

So, that's it.  The End.  "End of treatment" So, X-rays in February & every so often...& 4 3/4 years of Tamoxifen to go.  What a long, strange trip it's been!  Thanks to my awesome medical team, looks like I get to just keep truckin on.