Good-bye Port, Hello Radiation

This article has been archived. We will no longer be updating it. For our most up-to-date information, please visit our breast cancer information here.

by Marilyn B.

Read Marilyn's story and track her journey…

Great milestone today—I got my port out. YEA! It feels great (emotionally, that is). It symbolizes the fact that my oncologist firmly believes that I will not need any more chemo—hopefully for the rest of my life.

The port was much easier coming out than going in. The surgeon asked if I wanted to keep the port as a souvenir. Uh, NO!! Urban legend has it that Lance Armstrong keeps his in a jar on his desk to remember his battle. I think the various scars all over my chest and my upcoming tattoos (blue dots that serve as radiation treatment markers) will be enough for me.

I'm doing fine. The fatigue still has me down—both physically and emotionally. I really want to turn the corner, but as a friend said last night, "They keep moving the damn corner." Cycle #6 really kicked my butt. However, I am moving forward, both physically and mentally!

We are off to the beach for a four-day weekend. It may not be the most exciting vacation I've ever had in my life, but it is certainly well-deserved.

On Monday I start the radiation process. Monday I go through my "verification" to make sure the computer model designed for my body works as planned, then I get my permanent tattoos. On Tuesday I will get the first of 35 treatments—Monday through Friday for seven weeks. I'm really not worried about it, just anxious about how it's all going to go down. My expectation is that whatever side effects I'll get will be in the latter half of the treatment, so hopefully my body will have a chance to recover, before another onslaught of side effects.

I cannot thank you enough for being with me on this journey. I know I still have a long way to go, but when I see how far I've come I realize that I am capable of making it to the finish line. What is seven measly weeks of radiation compared to the biopsy, the scans, the port and 18 weeks of chemo—piece of cake! (Please remind me of that around week five when I'm grumbling about the side effects.)