Before being cleared to start chemotherapy, I needed to have a few tests and procedures to make sure that my body was healthy enough and ready for chemotherapy. I had an echocardiogram to test my heart, blood tests to test my levels and a mediport placed in my upper chest area.
The day before starting chemo I had a minor surgery to have the mediport placed. Over the course of my treatment, I will have countless injections, blood tests and infusions. Having a mediport will eliminate the stress on my veins (which have already taken a beating). The mediport is how my blood will be taken, how chemo will go into my bloodstream and eliminates the need to have an I.V. every time. This surgery was really no big deal, but the pain from recovery was more than I expected.
My upper chest/neck area, where the mediport was placed, was super tender. I could barely turn my neck or lift my arm above my head. I had trouble lifting my head without putting too much stress on my neck. It was much more challenging than I was prepared for. This was the first little taste of what it is going to feel like to ask for help – especially with the boys.
As I get ready for 16 chemotherapy treatments over the next 20ish weeks, I keep thinking about how I can keep things as normal as possible for Aidan and Cooper. I am so grateful for the amount of support that we have from friends and family but it is going to be so hard for me to take a step back and relinquish some control. Matt keeps reassuring me that I need to take this time to take care of myself so that I can be there to take care of the boys for years to come. Easier said than done.
#shaystrong 