Day 1,320: The port is gone!
Well, after having two separate procedures within 3 days of each other is what it took to get Elliott's port out, but it's out! All of it! During the first surgery, the surgeon had more difficulty than he thought he would removing the 3 1/2 year old port and ended up having to leave a portion of the catheter in near Elliott's collarbone, so we went back today so that international radiology could remove the remain part. They ended up having to insert a catheter into his groin and weave it up to his neck where the pulled out the catheter that was still there. Elliott handled both procedures very well and woke up in a good mood. He enjoyed several Popsicles both times and had a few doses of Motrin Friday night and Saturday, but other than that, he barely seems phased by it. It will take some getting used to the port not being there. To be honest, I liked the port because we could just putting some numbing cream on it and Elliott never once cried or seemed nervous about getting it accessed with that huge needle that looks more like a nail than a needle. Next week will be his first oncology appointment EVER without his port. He still has to get bloodwork each month, so there will be pokes, but just not in the port. The port was mainly used to administer chemotherapy and since that part of the treatment is over, he doesn't have a need for it. He also still has 3 more Pentamadine breathing treatments to help prevent pneumonia while his immune system recovers. I will post more later, but right now, I am exhausted and need rest. We are excited to have made it to this milestone!!
