I’m sorry you are facing all of this. It’s so much harder when things have to be revisited. Big hugs.
Port wise my surgeon was same as @ddon, he said it was the best option by far and put in under GA. Sore for about a week as settled in but it’s been a godsend.
After nodes out they don’t like using that arm so - think of one arm for, for me, 16 chemo visits, 5 lots of blood transfusions and now Zometa. Also all the extra blood tests I needed during treatment and a visit to ED needing a drip.
I would not have any veins left especially on taxane weekly.
It made chemo visits so much less stressful and painless needle access.
Chemo unit staff were meticulous about infection control with my Port.
Lots of love Tinks xx