The Third Nipple

Mom had her chemo port surgically inserted early this afternoon. She was sedated for the procedure. Suzy said at one point Mom told the doctor, "I love morphine." Well, we all know what that means. Thankfully the doctor must have had the appropriate filters in place and understood that Mom is not an addict.

I spoke with Mom tonight. She said she woke up while the surgeon was still stitching up, but that it wasn't painful. In fact, she said she still feels nothing except the stitches. She doesn't know how many stitches she has, just that she has two layers of them.

The chemo port will serve as an easy access point for delivery of her chemotherapy injections. It is inserted underneath the skin of her chest, and connects to a large vein close to the heart. Placing the port under her skin greatly reduces the risk of infection. We met with the doctor who performed her surgery several weeks ago. At that time he explained the procedure and how the port and the catheter will work. Mom doesn't have any extra body fat to speak of, so he said the port location would be noticable. Since that appointment we have affectionately referred to the port as her third nipple.

You can see how Mom's chemo port connects to her circulatory system here.

The next step is Mom's first chemo injection, which is scheduled July 3. The chemo will treat her whole body, including the primary tumor in her lung. The reason for the delay in treatment is to give her recovery time from her recently completed radiation therapy, and to allow her to enjoy the upcoming family reunion without the side effects of the chemo.