Today was a busy fun filled day at UT hospital for 2 doctor appointments.  Ok, it wasn’t so fun filled but it sure was a long one.  It was about 7 hours today.  I had a big lapse of time between appointments which I spent in the cafeteria having some lunch and watching a movie with my sound canceling headphones so I could actually hear the movie.  Oh yes and of course answering emails, Fb messages and comments,etc.  

My first doctor appointment was with the vascular surgeon to hear ask for a power port being placed.  My current port is 9.5 years old and still works but I want a power port.  A power port is one that can take IV contrast.  The power port can be infused at a fast rate like contrast needs to be pushed to get the best images.  Below are a few images of what a Power Port looks like and how it is accessed.  A bonus is that it is purple of course…haha

The Vascular surgeon was very nice and he was more than happy to give me a power port.  I am scheduled for the power port placement next Friday May 6th.  Basically he is swapping the old one out for the new one and will put it in the same spot.  So that was an easy appointment.  I then had about 3.5 hours to waste.  I wandered through the gift shop for a bit then, had lunch in the cafeteria and watched a movie during lunch.

My final stop on the doctor appointment tour for the day was pain management about my rib pain.  I had to wait over an hour but I am a professional waiter after all these years of medical appointments.  I saw the anesthesiologist and we discussed where my pain was and what we can do about it.  I will be having 3 injections in my back in the T4, T5 and T6 for an intercostal block.  These injections will numb the nerve from the back that wraps around to the front where the pain is.  The injections are steroid and numbing.  The numbing will wear off.  If I still hurt once the numbing has worn off and and it has been a few days or weeks then I will need another round of the injections.  Then again if they don’t work, I will need another round.  He said it could take 3-4 separate injections to get complete relieve.  The procedure is done in same day surgery with the guidance of an X-ray machine to make sure they are in the correct area.  You ask why it’s an anesthesiologist that does pain management.  Well if you think about it, they do epidurals and spinal blocks and nerve blocks.  The Intercostal Block procedure is set for Thursday May 12th.  It should be a fun next few weeks.

I already have other doctor appointments scheduled as usual in the next few weeks.  One of the appointments being CF clinic next Thursday the 5th.  It was supposed to be tomorrow but it got moved to next week.

I’m keeping it short tonight because I am one tired lady.  Have another appointment tomorrow with GYN for check up on my ovarian cysts that went away.

Until next time…