Today was supposed to be Kathleen's last chemotherapy treatment and we encountered a big glitch. The nurses could not successfully access the port device, so a chest x-ray was ordered and revealed that the port was severed. About 4 inches of the port's catheter traveled through her heart and into the left lung's pulmonary artery. It has traveled as far as it can go, and no further damage is expected in the immediate future. However, she was admitted to Mercy and advised to remove it. After consults and CT, the day was done with no procedure completed. It is an uncommon and very disappointing situation. The cardiologist and consulting doctors believe it is worth attempting to remove the device through an angioplasty-type surgery (through femoral vein). The final chemotherapy may be completed tomorrow and followed within 1 week or so with the procedure to extract the catheter. Another bump in the road.

Please pray that the obstruction will be removed without complications during the first scheduled surgery. We pray that the doctor's hands work diligently and successfully for optimal results and no damage. We pray that there are no clots or complications in the lungs prior to the removal of the catheter.