Well. I was all set to get prepped for the port implantation today. I'd gotten a clean bill of health from my dentist yesterday and got a potential sinus infection checked out at the oncology clinic before I went in to make sure I could still go ahead with the procedure. (Have I mentioned that I'd caught Daniel's cold and have been fighting it all week?) All clear.
So I'm lying on the bed in the hospital prep room, and one of the staff took my temperature. I was like, they DID take my temperature just a half hour ago at the oncology office, and it was fine. But whatever. So it was 99.7 or something like that. I told him to try again because, after all, a half hour ago it was in the 97 range. He did it again: 99.8. Dang. The nurse said we'd probably go ahead with the procedure because they don't worry about a fever unless it's over 100.5. She went through all the paperwork, a doctor explained the risks and whatnot to me, and I signed the consent form. Half an hour had passed. Let's take that temperature one more time. 100.5. Whoa! Come to mention it, I WAS feeling a little shivery.
So they cancelled it. There was a flurry of phonecalls between the oncology nurse and me, and finally, we arranged for me to have the port implanted Monday — IF I am feeling better — and chemo start on Tuesday morning.
This was not an easy course of events to absorb. When something difficult is ahead, you get yourself mentally and emotionally prepared to face it, and when it gets postponed, it feels like you have to start all over again. So I handled the news with quite a bit of frustration and tears. Laura was with me, and that helped me keep it together a little bit. And the nurse brought us turkey sandwiches and fruit cups, and that was nice because I'd been fasting all day.
I got home, went to bed, and tried to sleep off the chills and hot flashes that I alternate between. Then I woke up and started reading a book that Kristie sent me by a young cancer survivor who made the documentary "Crazy Sexy Cancer." If a book on cancer can be said to be fun and entertaining, this one is. Thanks, Kristie!
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5 comments:
You poor dear.
I'm so glad you got the book and hope it is a good one.
I've had one of those going on for the past few days...as much as it would be nice to put off further I hope you are able to shake it this weekend and get the port on Monday. Thinking of you!
It can be so frustrating to "hurry up and wait."
I'm glad that you're surrounding yourself with things that you love -- like your new purse and new books.
I believe that it is the little things in life that bring the greatest joy.
-Megan
Em, that really sucks. Even the Power Port, which is "supposedly" a low key, non intense procedure (compared to the actual chemo), is something you geared yourself up for (like you said), and then to be "let down" like this...
If it's any consolation, this kind of crap happens with a lot of people. I remember people in my own chemo ward bitching about having certain procedures "abated" because of fevers, etc. In fact, one of them had to do with a power port. I think about 85-90% of the time, procedures are "abated" for this reason or that.
Coming from someone who had to do all this alone, I think it's absolutely invaluable that you had Laura with you. Probably makes a tremendous difference, more than you may ever realize.
- Susanne
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