A Port and Crazy Hair

Well, my mediport is in.  It's on the left (non-mastectomy) side, so now I'm feeling tender on both sides - fabulous!  I'm actually finding the spot where the port was inserted is less tender than the small incision they made at the base of my neck where the catheter was inserted into the vein. I have to keep it covered and can't shower for 36 hours, then I remove the dressings and apparently the stitches dissolve on their own and I'm good. The whole point of this is to provide a less intrusive way to administer chemo, so I don't have to undergo a million needle pricks over the course of the year.  I can't show you how it looks right now as it's still covered, but it's raised up from the skin more than I imagined.  It was described to me as feeling like a nickel under the skin, but right now it looks more like a grape!  Maybe it's just the swelling?  We'll see.  I also had my first physical therapy class yesterday, and it's left me a little stiff so I'm a bit of a physical wreck today. 

I basically passed out as soon as we got home from the mediport procedure. We then headed over to the American Cancer Society in the late afternoon to check out my free wig options.  This is a very kind service from people who have donated wigs, but it actually left me very depressed.  I basically had two choices that even remotely worked for someone under 60, and they still screamed wig.  I can't imagine wearing them out in public, let alone to work.  They just may be staying with the ACS for the next recipient.  Remember those barbie-like blond heads when we were kids that came on a pink stand and you could style their hair?  I used to love that thing!  I'm like a ridiculous human version here:

Red head anyone?

Oh, and other than the surgery and the bad hair day, we also got confirmation today that we will get absolutely no insurance coverage for the cost of a wig.  According to almost everyone you speak with the majority of insurance companies will cover the cost of a wig as long as you have a prescription from your oncologist (which I do).  The benefits coordinator at my oncologist's office was so shocked that she offered to call herself to confirm for me - still a no go.  And its not like we have lousy insurance, it's actually very good.  But, on this one point, Anthem BCBS of CA - you suck it.