Vampire Acess

I have been poked and prodded so many times I've lost count. I look a little like a drug addict, with bruises up and down my arm. My veins are hard to find, especially after having to fast before the surgeries. I have 3 new scars on my right breast, one in my armpit, and now one below my collarbone on the left side. Hopefully today they will place the port in the same incision so I don't have to be cut open in a new place. I know the port placement is a necessity at this point (although the doctors keep telling me, ultimately, EVERYTHING I do is a choice!) Well, yes, I'd rather you didn't blow my veins up every week, thank you. 


Yeah, I said every week. My chemotherapy regimen (TCH) is weekly, with both chemo drugs and immunotherapy drugs. I have 18 weeks or 6 sessions of the nasty crap. Tomorrow I start the 5-6 hour session with Taxotere (T), Carboplatin (C), and then Herceptin (H). That is once every three weeks. The weeks in between I go in for the (H) only. After the 6 sessions with (TCH) I can move on to getting the (H) every three weeks so it equals an entire year. Before each session they need to draw blood to get Complete Blood Counts and other type tests throughout the period of time. 


Trust me, I understand why I need a port. But it still leaves me shakin' with the willies. I mean, they're going to cut me open and insert tubing into my jugular vein and then connect it to a button for easy access. If I'm going to make my lifeline of blood so available, it should at least be attached to my own handsome vampire! Bah, life's not fair!


I'm off. Fingers crossed it works this time!