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Miscellaneous experiences - February 1 - February 8, 2024

Friday, February 2, I had a pre surgery check to make sure I was healthy enough for the upcoming surgery. They take your vitals and blood. The port-a-cath is very convenient in that the person drawing your blood does not need to find a good vein. That day I found out that phlebotomists are not trained to access a vein through a port, so she needed to draw my blood through a vein in my arm. All the tests looked good, so I got the okay for the lumpectomy (partial mastectomy).

 

The following day I was able to start using adult toothpaste. My mouth was no longer sensitive! More news - I was excited to have hair growing on my head again, but that was not the only place it had started growing. There was still no hair on my legs or armpits. That was fantastic! However, a few hairs that had been growing in a couple of moles on my face were back. Even though I had the moles removed many years ago :( I would have preferred my eyelashes and brows were back instead :/

 

Thursday, February 8, I had my first Herceptin only infusion. Before the treatment a nurse tried unsuccessfully to access my port to draw blood in preparation for a meeting with the Physician Assistant (PA). She was not able to get blood from the port, so she reclined the chair as far as she could without inducing my vertigo. Still no blood. 

 

The nurse drew the blood from my arm instead so it would be ready for the PA. After I saw the PA, the nurse injected a medication to loosen a potential clog in the catheter going from the port to the vein. I felt a cold streak going up my neck after the nurse administered the medication into the port.

 

After this we had to wait 30 minutes for the drug to work. The nurse tried to get blood from the port again but was still not successful. I was told that we could wait another 30 minutes. If she still was not able to draw blood then, she would administer another dose. That was as much as she could give me. If she was not able to access the port, she would have to give the infusion through a vein in my arm. 

 

A clog like this is apparently not unusual. Sometimes you need to get a new port. Fortunately for me she was able to access the port after I had sat around for one hour, no second dose needed.

 

No ice bags on my hands and feet to prevent neuropathy, and no more chewing ice! The only premed needed was Tylenol as Herceptin can give you headaches and flulike symptoms. After the clog in the catheter was cleared the infusion went well.

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