Day 9 Stress Test Behind

We left for the hospital around 11:45 this morning.  We had some paperwork to return to the financial office, so we had plenty of time and still had time left over to wait.  Robin, the coordinator that we have been dealing with and who has explained everything so wonderfully to us, met us in the lobby in the Cancer Center.  She had a notebook with her to show us what the port looked like that will be inserted under the skin and that is how Tim will receive all of the injections of the IL-2.  Very interesting.  And, since it is under the skin, it will remain there throughout the length of the treatments.

It is hard to tell, but on the top of this port there are 2 silicone-type circles that the needle will be inserted into to administer the IL-2.  For those of you who are scrapbookers or paper crafters, the circles remind me of the "self-healing" cutting mats that you use with your exacto knife or other cutting tools and you cannot tell where you cut through the mat (if that makes any sense).  Anyway, this devise is maybe 1/2" thick and 1 1/2" oblong.  As you can see from the diagram, the little tube at the top is inserted into an artery or vein.  Not sure which.

Once again, it is hard to tell from the picture, but this is an example of what it will look like under the skin (the grayish area being the skin).  The port will stick out just a bit, but not enough to be bothersome.

Beneath the little butterfly thing is the needle that is inserted into the silicone circles shown in the first picture.  And the IL-2 will be injected into the blue end of the tubing.  I don't remember if this remains in the whole time he is in the hospital or not.  I'm thinking they change it every couple of days, but I don't remember.  I'll be able to tell you more about it beginning this coming Monday.

The informational booklet we read and sent to some of you was a little bit outdated.  We will be able to have cell phones there, but they will just not be able to be used if a doctor is in the room, of course.  But, to save minutes on my phone, I will send family member the phone number for his room once we get settled in.  That way you can call it.  We cannot place any long distance phone calls from the room phone.  Also, there is wifi internet throughout the hospital (imagine what that bill must be each month!), and I will have my laptop, so the first couple of days we will try to skype with some of you.  But after the first couple of days, as the fluid starts to build up, Tim will feel less and less like conversing.  Plus, I've always wanted him to grow a beard to see how it looked on him.  Well, we might find out this week, because he is not allowed to shave because of the injections making his skin sensitive.

OK, I've got to get up early tomorrow for traveling.  Love you all!