John and I drove to Spokane yesterday and arrived at Deaconess Hospital for placement of the intraperitoneal port. The anesthesiologist wasn't sure he wanted the procedure done under local anesthetic because it might cause too much pain to control. However, if I had general anesthetic there was a risk the air leak would return. He said he had no interest in "torturing" me so we agreed on local with sedation with the option to go general if I appeared to be uncomfortable. After discussing the maxim, "If a patient is in the medical profession she is bound to have a complication," I was taken to the operating room where the IP port was placed without a problem. So much for the maxim.

It IS true that the lining of the abdomen is more sensitive than the lining of the lungs. Thank goodness for hydrocodone.

The Saylers from Coeur d'Alene sent me a card about fighting "the bear." The black bear on the front is much cuter than a crab would be. I enjoyed the image of wrestling with cancer, so I was using it for a book mark. As I scooted from the gurney to the OR table the bear card fell from my bed clothes. So it remained with me during the procedure, safely placed in a baggie.

Off to St. Joe's today with a bag of books and magazines.

Kay