Linda...
My surgeon and his team know. Maybe a few others.

Thank you, Claude. Yet another to add to the collection in the banner maybe. I have a terrific hair stylist.

I was just writing "Wow, your hair!" when I saw Claude's comment come in. So that's two of us but I'm sure there'll be many more. May I just add "That smile rivals Monna Lisa's!"
So very glad you are in such good and kind hands ... and "lucid enough" to observe ... and generous enough to share with us.
Thank you, Ronni

Patty-in-New-York...
No wig - that's my hair although it's sparser at the crown you can't see. They told me during a tour of the chemo clinic that I probably won't lose my hair although it may get a little thinner.

Still thinking of you, admiring you, and sending TLC through the ether to your side, Ronni.

Your blog is such an important one for me. No I'm not having health problems, but I'm elderly, don't you just love that word, and I know that there will be things in the future to deal with and seeing how you've handled this is both amazing and inspiring. Please keep taking us on your journey.

You look great! Love the hair! You've stated a good reminder for all, that whatever we're going through, it's good to be engaged and interested in it. And I'm so glad that a good bit of what you're going through is pleasant, encouraging, and reassuring. Of course a lot of that is because of who you are, how you engage with the world around you.

What a lovely woman you are! Your photograph (thank you VERY much) says it all. As beautiful outside as inside. And with lots of guts! I admire you greatly!

Great post, as always. Glad you have such a great team! But you didn't mention the wonderful DRUGS they give you for this procedure! I talked a blue streak to the nice surgical team, didn't feel any pain and I think I told them my entire life story!

The port eliminates the poking probing for a vein to administer the chemo etc. It does make that treatment a bit smoother. Power on...you look wonderful !

I agree with the others regarding the stylish, terrific hair 'do' of yours. You look lovely. Overall, you look great in the way you're reflecting a solid, warm, "I'm right here and nowhere else" attitude.

Good to read of your hospital experiences and that they don't treat you in a patronizing "There, there, dear.." kind of way, but rather with professionalism mixed with a personal touch and efforts to make hospital visits less worrisome. That must be especially welcome when you're dealing with many personnel each time.

They're likely looking to ease the blood pressures that rise with each step to their place of work and are mindful of keeping the patients in a positive atmosphere.

And your sharing this does ease anxiousness about the medical intensity of a hospital - that for each of us, we won't be faceless or nameless either during important procedures.

Keep on keepin on....

You'll love having that port, especially if your veins are easily irritated and/or you don't like needle sticks. That spot on your neck is where they made a tiny cut to feed the port's catheter into an artery. (A thin catheter runs under the skin from the port to the artery in your neck.)

My team at Univ. of Colo. was just like you describe. It's not like going to the hospital; it's like going to see a bunch of friends who know you and what you're going through, who care about you, and can answer your every question. My 8-yr-old granddaughter, on several occasions, baked cookies or cupcakes for them.

And my goodness, you look great. All bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. You go girl!

Happy to see that your face look so well.
Good that you are taking this next stage with good spirits.

Love

Beatriz

Ditto how great you look! I had the same experience with cataract surgery--great care in making sure of my proper identity, the proper eye, etc. Friendly staff, my doctor explaining every move as I watched the light show. My eye drops arrived by mail long before the surgery. All my appointments were arranged in advance, and I got reminder calls before each. Altogether a good experience.

You, meanwhile, are amazing.

Echoing what others have said about the hair -- it's a lovely and sort of perky, yet elegant, look for you.

The details you're providing through all your cancer saga are very interesting and I feel like they've improved my general feelings about medical facilities. I am aware that hospitals have worked very hard over the past couple of decades, to improve themselves in almost every way, and there is a lot of growing competition (in my city of just under 150,000 there are currently no less than six medical facility projects underway, and a couple of them are quite large, with one being the largest financial investment ever made in this community) so there are many incentives to provide the best patient experience possible. However, I also like to believe that people in all areas of human services are growing in knowledge, understanding and compassion. I'm sure that there are some out there that are simply in the wrong field and can't or won't do anything about it, but it does seem as though the human spirit may be evolving towards greater kindness and empathy. Wouldn't that be something!

Must add my own appreciation of your great looking smile, hair do, and showing us your port! Good going! And your experience having been so positive with the hospital personnel is an extra special bonus. Continue to heal!

Add me to the list of people who like your hair!

Your docs seem like a dream team! That is lucky. My former cardiologist moved to your area, I wonder if he is at your hospital? I can't remember his name at the moment.

I'm afraid it falls upon me to be a contrarian to Ronnie's post as well as all the comments so far. Not about her hair, though, nor about her attitude, courage, strength, and ability to write so beautifully and with such clarity about difficult matters, but about the subject of that writing: Hospitals. My hospital experience, fwiw, was different, to put it mildly. Also, the hospital experiences that IRL people have shared with me have been - not always but often - similar to mine. I've even heard a few horror stories much worse than my own.

Question: Since Ronnie wrote in the comments that hospital personnel were aware that she is writing this blog, is it possible that she is getting VIP treatment similar to restaurant reviewers who get better food and service if they haven't successfully hidden their identities when inspecting a restaurant? That's not a rhetorical question; I'm really asking.

My unhappy experience in a hospital was twenty years ago, so it's possible that things have changed as Ronnie wrote that they have, but I'm a little dubious.

Dubious, because of two key differences between Ronnie's situation and mine. When I broke my leg, I did not have insurance and was sent to the closest hospital which was a for-profit one, not like Ronnie's which I have read is a not-for-profit, highly regarded institution. Most people are not as fortunate as Ronnie to be able to be a patient in such a fine hospital. Many people, as we are all too well aware these days, do not have decent - or any- insurance or receive pauper's medical care, i.e. Medicaid.

As for my hospital experience, suffice it to say, I was rudely treated by the X-ray technician and then billed $500 for one simple old-fashioned X-ray (20 years ago) because the X-ray included an exorbitantly priced, unneeded, duplicative interpretation by a radiologist, unneeded, because, as the orthopaedist admitted, he was quite capable of interpreting an X-ray of a simple fracture by himself.

Ronni, LOVE that hair.

People might think that's a shallow thing to be concerned with when battling a serious illness, but for me, there's no better time to have terrific hair. It gives an added boost of confidence when the wearer is feeling most vulnerable. And confidence always help when you've got to deal with a succession of strangers at a time when you're scared and feeling bad.

I have had similar experiences (which I did not expect) with medical and dental personnel. They ARE mostly a lot nicer than I remember from 20 or 30 years ago. You still have to chase them (now through a phone tree, alas) to get simple questions answered, and the costs are terrifying, but hands on, a lot of these folks are great.

Oh, what they all said about how terrific you look!!

And, big hugs!

Thank you so much for your "as Is" photo. My immediate thought was "Still Standing!"
It has been an honor to share this journey with you......even before this challenge.

(And I, too, love your hair!)

Ann

Before I tell you how great you look, I wish to refer the following comment to Miss Linda, way above.

Linda, you mentioned "elderly". I hate to tell you this, but I've read recently that there Is a new terminology for the "elderly" these days. If one is 90 yrs. old or older, she/he is called the "oldest old". So much for ageism.

And you really do look great. Your smile tells such a positive story. Keep it up, gal!

Very best wishes, Estelle R.

Grand to see this latest manifestation of the Ronni we've come to know and appreciate.

I know this is beside the point, Ronni, but you look GREAT!

When Dad had his stroke, I felt thrown into this strange universe. Strange language, environment, people and procedures. Altho it was a world dealing with people at crisis, I rarely exhibited warmth. I felt that the institution's needs took priority. I actually wrote a letter of complaint to the VA but I could've written letters of complaint about other hospitals.

I am happy you are having such a positive, caring and empathetic experience. This is the way it should be.

You look great Ronni. OHSU took excellent and loving care of two of my sisters when they were treated for breast cancer. They both have done well. I am so glad you are being treated at that good place. I think of you often.