Chemo port removal

Today I had my chemo port removed.  I didn't want to have to deal with getting it flushed every 6-8 weeks and have the constant reminder of cancer.  My oncologist said I could remove it whenever I wanted and that if I ever have to do chemo again we could use my arm or worst case scenario they could put it back in.  Others recommend leaving it in for two years.  Honestly I am ready to put this cancer journey behind me and start living.  I have one more follow up with my radiation oncologist this month and then follow ups with my medical oncologist every three months for the next two years.  After all I have been through I think going to the doctor once every three months will be a breeze.

Jeff and Kaci took me to the hospital this morning.  We had to be at the hospital at 6:00AM and my surgery was scheduled for 7:30AM.  I was hoping to be able to sleep in a little bit since I took the day off of work but I had to get up earlier than what I do on a work day.  I was the first on the schedule and they were on time.  When I woke up it was a little after 8:00AM.  We left the hospital at 8:30AM and were home a little after 9:00AM (we had to stop and get some pool salt).  It was a super easy procedure and I was not nervous at all.  I guess that is what cancer does to a person.  I came home and slept until about 1:00PM and took it easy for a while.  Tonight I mowed the back lawn, got some wash done, finished getting the pool ready and vacuumed the house.  I am a little sore but I am trying not to think about it and just keep going. 

We asked if I could keep the chemo port as a souvenir.  Dr. Megan said they just throw them away so she said we could have it.  It is crazy that it was in my body and that is what delivered the hard core drugs throughout my system.  The best part was it was purple.  

My wounds from radiation healed up last Thursday, almost 2 weeks to the day I finished.  That is exactly what Dr. Fisher said it would do.  He said it will heal up fast and sure enough it did.  Last Wednesday my back stopped oozing and felt better and then when I woke up on Thursday my armpit had healed.  It is so weird that it can be all gross and oozing one day and the next all dried up and looking like nothing had happened.  I have never had a wound heal like this one did.  I am so glad it is all better.  I still have some pain but it is definitely feeling a lot better.  The skin where it was radiated feels so tight and it hurts to raise my arm up.  I hope over time it will ease up.

I feel like today is the first day of the rest of my life.  Now all the surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation are completed I can start living again.  I don't know what my new normal will be but I will just take it one day at a time and make every day count.  I will start the next course of my treatment, hormone therapy on June 15th.  I am nervous to start Tamoxifen and I hoping that I don't have many side effects.  I do not want it to diminish my quality of life. 

What a loving and supportive family I have.  I love these pictures because they show the end of "our journey".  All of us have been through so much, both good and bad.  I can't believe we have made it to the end.