The IV port was successfully embedded in my chest yesterday. I am now a cyborg! The craziest part was when they shaved my chest ..

Fortunately, my chest-shaving experience was painless, nothing like a certain classic scene. Just like everyone else at Fred Hutch, the nurse who did this demonstrated masterful skills of distraction-through-conversation. He has many food-based tattoos, and that gave us plenty to talk about. The PA (who performed the implant operation) came in afterwards and introduced herself — I noticed she had tattoos on her arm as well.

The overall procedure was quick and painless. I was technically awake and aware of what was happening, but I was heavily sedated and happily daydreaming throughout the process. After the pain meds wore off yesterday, I was aware of the port inside my chest — it’s definitely an odd feeling. There isn’t really pain, per se, but I can see why they restrict you from any strenuous activity for 3 days after the procedure. My job now is to watch the area and make sure it doesn’t get infected. There is a visible bump where the port now lives.

Meanwhile, as I prepare for chemo to begin on 7/22, I’ve been focused on eating healthy, well-balanced meals, with plenty of fruits and vegetables. I have been admittedly lax in this area, over the past several years. I’m just trying to stick to the simple “several colors” guidelines — for example, my dinner last night included lentils, kale, couscous, tomatoes, and watermelon. Plenty of olive oil on the savory portion of that meal, as I am looking to fortify my weight with healthy fats.