Port in a Storm

Today was another day with no food or drink in the mornings. I haven’t had much of an appetite still, so that wasn’t really a problem. I was still hooked up to an IV so I didn’t feel thirsty.

My dad came up from Stratford to be with me before the operation, so both my parents were there. This time, going to the procedure was less nerve-wracking since I had a better idea of what to expect.

My mom was allowed to go into the room where they would perform the surgery to stay with me until I was asleep, as long as she wore the doctor’s uniform (scrubs, face mask, puffy little blue hat).

When I woke up, I was very tired. Instead of feeling kind of refreshed like my first time under anesthetic, I woke up groggy and confused. At first, I was worried that I was waking up during the operation until I could see that I was back in the waiting room. This was probably an effect of the gas-based anaesthetic that they used this time.

My parents came in to see me, but I was really tired and just wanted to sleep. Apparently I asked them not to ask me questions, but I don’t really remember that.

The port doesn’t feel that strange. The strangest part is probably the silicone tube that runs over my collarbone, jutting out a little before it feeds over my jugular and directly into my heart. There are some incisions that hurt where they had to insert the port, but otherwise it feels fine. It’s very nice to be able to use my right hand properly again⁠—that should mean that I can write a bit faster.

According to the nurses, I lasted a really long time without needing painkillers. Eventually, I did need a small amount of oral painkiller, but it was enough to allow me to sleep. My incisions should heal up soon, and with my new port the nurses won’t have to stab my arm with a needle to draw blood!

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