Bye-Bye

Kind of crazy to say I woke up bright and early this morning with a mediport and a peg tube implanted in me, and now i’m getting ready to go to bed without my mediport or my feeding tube! They both were successfully removed today!!

I had to be at admitting by 6:15 to check in, and then I had to report to radiology by 6:30. Was kind of nice, it was fairly quiet this time of morning. We got right in to admitting, and we also had a very short wait in radiology. A nurse named John called my name, Kerry and I followed him back to interventional radiology. Only one person could come back with me, since they are limited on space. So my parents had to wait out in the waiting area, which for me was pretty weird! Every procedure I’ve ever had they have always been right next to me the entire time. For me it was “different” not having them there, and i’m sure it was “different” for them as well. Thank goodness this was a quick and easy procedure. Soon as we arrived to IR (Interventional Radiology) I of course had to change into a gown, and then John had to start a peripheral IV. My veins are small, and tend to roll, so it took several tries before we had any success. I forgot how much I HATE peripheral IV’s! Ha ha! John wheeled me back to the procedure room. I didn’t have to be completely knocked out, they gave me Versed which is a medication that helps you relax.

By 8:30 the radiologist and doctors were ready to start. Pretty simply, I had a big blue sheet covering from my neck and head. So I couldn’t see anything. They started with my mediport first. Its been in my chest for 9 years!!! It took a little maneuvering to get it out. First I received several shots of lidocaineLidocaine to numb the area. I didn’t feel anything except pressure on my chest. They cut along my pre-existing scar, my mediport was sutured to the muscles. They had to cut the sutures out, and then the tail of the mediport was fed through the muscle, tissue layers down into a vine right above my heart. Since it’s been implanted for long, everything kind of grew around the line. So it took a little while longer to get it out of my chest. Once the mediport was out, the radiologist sewed my skin back together. The stitches will eventually fall out on their own within a few days. Next up was the feeding tube! Which was a lot simpler! All they had to do was deflate the balloon and pull the tube out. Next thing I knew everything was safely out of my body and we were done! On to recovery! I had my own little recovery room, I arrived aright around 10:00 o’clock, just in time for The Price Is Right! Ha ha! I had to stay until 11:45. Just enough time to watch “Hour Power” eat some breakfast, visited with Dr. Sid for a few minutes, next thing I knew the nurse came in with discharge papers, we were free to go! I couldn’t get dressed and sign on the dotted line fast enough!

I wasn’t feeling “too out of it” afterwards, we decided to go back to the apartment for lunch. Then it was bingo time! Ha ha! I wasn’t a winner this time around, but I am happy to say my dad was! Whoop Whoop! Well it has been a long an adventures day, and this girl is pooped! Time to take my nightly meds, and then call it a day! I have rehab tomorrow morning at 9:00 am! Time to work some muscles! Goodnight everyone!

Until next time……

~Jen~
“Just Breathe”