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Well, there is no port today.  I am very disappointed.  I got up this morning, checked into the hospital, changed into my beautiful gown, and was about to get pricked for a blood draw and an IV, when they stopped everything.  They told me that they don’t do Power Ports at Presbyterian Hospital.  I was being told that if I wanted a port today, it would have to be a regular port – meaning that they will still have to find a vein when doing CT scans.  Sol and I were on the phone for the next 2 hours figuring out what our options were.  Did I need to get whatever they offered because of the urgency of the situation or could we find a hospital that could do the Power Port and change the authorization in time to begin chemo on schedule?  It was a horrible time of asking questions and weighing the options.

Finally, the doctor who was going to put the port in, came and talked to us.  He puts in Power Ports everyday at a different hospital.  He said that Power Ports really are better and called the other hospital himself and talked to someone in charge of scheduling and she said that she could probably get us in tomorrow, but by Wednesday for sure.  She took the information and called my oncologist and had them begin the process of transferring the authorization to their facility.  She is supposed to call me back today to let me know when the appointment will be.  Praise the Lord for a doctor who is looking out for patients and not just money or protocol – someone who was willing to make a simple phone call to help us out!  I will be forever grateful!

The great news that we heard today (in the middle of all of this), was that the anti-angiogenesis drug has been approved!!!  🙂  I am so happy about that.  They will not postpone chemo because of the the Power Port delay, but will begin on Thursday at 8:45 am, no matter what.  If the Power Port isn’t ready to be used due to some swelling, then they will do the chemo through an IV this week and begin using the port next week.  I am so relieved to hear that this ridiculous delay in the Port won’t delay my treatment any!

I will be writing a letter to Presbyterian Hospital and my oncologist about this whole ordeal.  Someone should have caught the mistake before I checked in to have the procedure done.

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