Two Pokes in the Port

Back in December, Emily had surgery to place a port in her chest to more easily administer the chemo drugs. The port serves two functions. First, it eliminates the need to insert an IV in her arm each time she gets a treatment or needs fluids. Second, it is also used to draw blood since she has to have blood taken every time she has chemo. Seems like a good idea, right? For some reason, Em's port is malfunctioning and they have to try over and over again to get it to give blood. Thus, she must endure multiple pokes in the port. Our family members should get a kick out of this little play on words, since we have a yahoo group titled "A Poke in the Porterhouse."

We are learning more about the funky side effects from chemo as the days go on. Chemo directly affects the various "linings" in the body. For example, it can cause nasty heartburn because the lining of the stomach and esophagus becomes so sensitive. It also messes with the mouth and gums, wreaking havoc on dental hygiene. Those who know Emily know how fastidious she is about her teeth. This girl LOVES to brush her teeth and then to enjoy the minty freshness afterward. Enter chemo. She now has to use a lemon flavored toothpaste, which is far more gentle that the mint options, and she has been forced to relinquish her electric toothbrush for a small Dr. Seuss themed toothbrush for ages 2-8 with extra soft bristles. Hasn't she suffered enough? :)

As of today, she has had her third round of chemo. This week her red blood cell count should start dropping dramatically and she may start experiencing shortness of breath. This lasts through treatments three and four. She spent most of today feeling woozy and tired and she is hoping that she won't have any new symptoms this week. 3 treatments down, 5 to go!!