Port Police – help!

This may sound totally insane but I’ve always thought that Nora knows a lot more than a typical child her age should, even when she was a tiny infant her eyes expressed depth and wisdom. More than one person has commented that Nora is an old soul upon meeting her for the first time. She has always been very in tune with her body and other peoples emotions, she is very aware, of everything, even if it seems that she’s paying no attention.

The night before last, Nora is sitting at her table eating dinner, turns to me and out of the blue says:

“Guess what mommy?”
“What?” I reply.
“the police man is coming to look at my port”

There had been no discussions of police men or her port but this girl does have quite the imagination. So I question her on why a police man is coming to look at her port. She seems to ignore me for a minute and then starts telling Montana and I that her “port used to be on this side” pointing to where it used to be and that now “it’s on this side” while pointing to her new port like a spokesperson giving a lecture. Then as soon as the conversation started it ends and she turns her attention back to her TV show and there is no more mention of it.

Her comment was kind of amusing but also left me feeling a bit perplexed as to what brought it on. Well, she’s 2 years old with a big imagination, what’s to wonder? But now, two days later I’m thinking of her comment again after having to take Nora in to see Dr. Crooms this morning to have her port looked at.  Ever since Nora got her new port it has been a challenge to get the needle in right and the past few weeks have posed even more of a challenge. It is very finicky and even when the needle seems to be all the way in and dead center, getting a blood return is hit or miss. We tried 2 times yesterday and twice this morning with no luck of even flushing it let alone getting blood return so off to Dr. Crooms we went. He felt her port through her skin with a perplexed look on his face and said it could have flipped around under the skin. So she’ll be getting a chest x-ray in the morning. If it indeed has turned or flipped over she’ll be going in for surgery right away. It shouldn’t be nearly as invasive as the initial surgery was to put it in, but still surgery. We’ll hope for the best and really hope that she wont be having surgery tomorrow. But we’ll still have to plan for surgery in case that’s what needs to happen so no eating for Nora through the night.

While we’re in Dr. Crooms’ office this morning I asked Nora if he was the port police and she said “yes”.

I have had a lot of anxiety and feeling inadequate with Nora’s port being such a challenge lately. But to think there could be something wrong with her port and that it hasn’t been me doesn’t give me a sense of relief but instead makes me worry more. I’d feel a lot better if it is me and not her port.