Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Portacath

Perhaps this is TMI, but I've had so many people ask me about Steven's port that I thought I'd put a picture up to satisfy the curiosity out there.



This is the way he gets his chemotherapy and all his blood draws. At the same time he was anesthetized for his biopsy, a surgeon placed it under his skin threaded the catheter into his artery. Before he ever gets poked, we put a cream on his skin at the port site to numb it, so as long as I remember to apply it, he doesn't feel anything. The cream needs to sit for about 30 minutes, and I admit that at first I was terrible about remembering so the home health nurse would show up and poke him without the port site being numb. He was a tough cookie and didn't complain, but once I remembered it and he decided it was so much nicer so now he faithfully reminds me about the cream.



In other news, he made counts today and so we are off to the hospital tomorrow afternoon for methotrexate. His red blood cell count was quite low, so they will check it again tomorrow and he will likely get a blood transfusion to bring the counts up. I never would have suspected it, though, he's been acting just fine. He did have a bit of a headache tonight.

If we get lucky, he'll get to come home Easter morning. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but cross your fingers anyway!

7 comments:

  1. That would be an awesome blessing to be home for Easter! We will hope and pray that he does! I hope you are doing well, all things considered. I was happy to read about your cabin getaway. Glad you had fun with your family. Keep on keepin on!

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  2. I didn't realize the port stuck out so much. I hope he comes home Sunday, too!

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  3. That is so amazing! Hurray for modern medicine. I think it is fitting that Steven keeps track of when to put on the cream!

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  4. I think it's fantastic you put a pic on here...something for Steven's posterity to see!!

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  5. Hoping he gets too, we need him for the hunt!

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  6. I'm glad you got a little "run away" before your next trip to the hospital.
    Jeff donated blood last week in honor of Steven. He will be going every 8 weeks, I don't know that you will ever get his, but it is the thought that counts, right? (He's O+ so almost everybody can take his?)
    I'm hoping Steven gets to come home on Easter, but I'm sure they have some great things planned in the hospital for fun...

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  7. I will be praying hard that Steven makes it home on Sunday to celebrate Easter! Tell all the kids that we miss them:)
    Laura

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