The Port-a-Cath

A week after the first Chemo Suzanne had a Port-a-Cath placed to make the chemo sessions a little easier. Its basically a rubber stopper placed under the skin that has a line like a IV that goes into the subclavian vein and goes into the superior vena cava. The rubber stopper under the skin is the access port for all chemo from now until she's done;  which is 8 rounds of adriamycin/cytoxan 1 day every other week. Then 12 rounds of taxol/herceptin 1 day every week, the herceptin is given because her cancer is HER2 positive , the other markers of progesterone/estrogen were negative. Then 9 months more of herceptin 1 day every three weeks for a total of a year.  After the taxol/herceptin there will be a short break before a double mastectomy and then radiation that can take place while she is doing the rest of the herceptin.

Your friend and your sister is amazing in all of this.  She is taking this on as an adventure, with grace, dignity, and humor and I can assure you everyday in this with her is adventuresome. No two days are the same so far. Be proud to know her, to call her sister and friend.