Day 4/100 port-a-cath

port-a-cath

Stormin’

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2025/10/no_author/dedicated-to-those-learning-to-love-beyond-fear/
https://www.esv.org/
Unless it’s an emergency, I plan to do most of my walking after lunch to take advantage of the sunshine.
Start each morning with an iron pill and a full glass of water for rehydration.
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2025/10/no_author/lessons-from-the-economic-catastrophe-of-1929/
https://www.agebuzz.com/get-an-expert-on-board-an-interview-with-independent-medical-strategist-kayla-thompson-riviere/?utm_source=agebuzz2023.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=agebuzz-newsletter-october-23rd-included-this-week-strong-body-stronger-health&_bhlid=1c1417c55ca9dbc39f9a1d47ff05c5721c647eab
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKpHkgnsta8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH4INSXHJS0

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Bus stop improvements

New shelters: 17 new shelters have been installed in District 3, with more planned countywide.
Upgraded stops: Seven existing stops have been renovated.
Digital displays: Digital displays showing bus arrival times are being installed at bus stops.
Accessibility: Shelters include improved seating and ADA-compliant features to enhance comfort and accessibility. [1, 2, 4, 6, 8]

Service improvements

Frequency: HART is considering increasing service frequency on select routes, which could benefit Route 14.
New schedule: A new schedule for Route 14 went into effect in September 2025. [3, 7, 9]

Fleet and technology improvements

CNG bus transition: HART is converting its entire bus and van fleet to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by 2026.
Technology upgrades: Digital arrival information is being installed at bus stops to help riders. [5, 6]

Other proposals and projects

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): A separate project is underway to develop a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system along major corridors, which could also impact Route 14 in the future.
Route elimination: HART is evaluating and may eliminate low-ridership routes to redirect resources to more in-demand services. [3, 10, 11]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.ospreyobserver.com/2025/10/hart-unveils-1-million-in-bus-shelter-upgrades-across-hillsborough-county/

[2] http://gohart.blogspot.com/2025/09/

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/DO1cVZwD7h5/

[4] http://gohart.blogspot.com/2025/09/hart-has-you-covered-new-bus-stop.html

[5] https://www.gohart.org/Pages/AboutUS-PlanningProjects.aspx

[6] https://www.wmnf.org/hart-starts-bus-shelter-improvements-technology-upgrades/

[7] https://www.facebook.com/HillsboroughTransit/posts/reminder-new-hart-schedule-changes-are-now-in-effectroutes-1-14-16-36-and-39-hav/1291049579695017/

[8] https://www.facebook.com/100063699607253/photos/1366238272176147/

[9] https://www.facebook.com/HillsboroughTransit/posts/heads-up-hart-service-changes-go-into-effect-this-sunday-september-14-2025these-/1361050772694897/

[10] https://spectrumlocalnews.com/section/college-protests/news/2025/10/12/final-hart-public-meeting-on-proposed-route-changes-

[11] https://gohart.org/Pages/brt-arterial.aspx

The HART Bus Route 14 is the Armenia/Howard Avenue bus in Tampa, which runs between the Yukon Transfer Center and Britton Plaza. It operates daily with regular hours from approximately 4:35 AM to 9:35 PM, running about every 60 minutes. The service includes an emergency version with different operating hours for specific needs. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Route details

Name: 14 Armenia/Howard Avenue
Terminals:
- Yukon Transfer Center
- Britton Plaza Transfer Center
Direction:
- Northbound to Yukon Transfer Center
- Southbound to Britton Plaza [2, 3, 4]

Schedule

Daily operating hours: Approximately 4:35 AM to 9:35 PM
Frequency: Approximately every 60 minutes [2]

Additional information

Emergency service: An emergency service version of the route operates on a different schedule.
Real-time information: You can find real-time schedules and see the route on a map using the Transit app or the Moovit app. [2, 3, 4]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://moovitapp.com/index/en/public_transit-line-14-TampaSt_Petersburg_FL-1345-11010-640119-1

[2] https://moovitapp.com/index/en/public_transit-line-14-TampaSt_Petersburg_FL-1345-11010-640119-0

[3] https://transitapp.com/en/region/tampa/hart/bus-14

[4] https://www.gohart.org/Style%20Library/goHART/pdfs/maps/emergency_2024/routes/14_RT_Armenia_Howard_Ave.pdf

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A port for chemotherapy, often called a port-a-cath (short for port-a-catheter), is a small medical device implanted just under the skin. It provides doctors and nurses a reliable and easy way to give chemotherapy and draw blood without repeatedly sticking a vein with a needle.

🧭 What It Looks Like

The port is usually about the size of a quarter or nickel.
It sits just beneath the skin, usually on the upper chest, a few inches below the collarbone.
A thin, flexible tube called a catheter connects the port to a large vein—typically the superior vena cava, which carries blood directly to the heart.

⚙️ How It Works

Accessing the Port
A nurse uses a special needle called a Huber needle to puncture the skin over the port. The needle enters a soft, self-sealing silicone top called a septum.
Delivering Medication
Once the needle is in, chemotherapy drugs flow through the catheter directly into the large vein, where they quickly mix with blood and circulate through the body. This allows:
- Less irritation to small veins
- Faster delivery of medicine
- Ability to give drugs that might be too harsh for small veins
Blood Draws and Other Treatments
The port can also be used for:
- Drawing blood for lab tests
- Giving IV fluids or antibiotics
- Nutritional support, if needed
Flushing and Maintenance
When not in use, the port is flushed with saline and a small amount of heparin (a blood thinner) to keep the line open and prevent clots. If it’s not used regularly, it still needs to be flushed every few weeks.

🧼 Benefits of a Port

Fewer needle sticks
Reduced risk of vein damage
More comfortable for long-term treatment
Can stay in place for months or even years

🩹 Patient Experience

It’s implanted during a short surgical procedure under local or general anesthesia.
Most people can go home the same day.
After healing, you can shower and do most normal activities.
You’ll feel a small bump under the skin, but the port isn’t usually visible.
When accessed, you may feel a quick stick from the Huber needle but no ongoing pain.

⚠️ Risks and Precautions

Mild soreness after placement
Possible infection (kept low with good hygiene and sterile technique)
Rare risk of blood clots or catheter problems

✅ In short:
A chemo port is a small, under-the-skin device that makes receiving treatment easier, safer, and more comfortable—especially for people who need frequent infusions over time.

Living with a chemotherapy port often becomes part of your routine, and most people adjust to it quite well. Here’s a clear, practical look at what day-to-day life is like with a port:

🛁 Bathing & Showering

Once the surgical site heals (usually 1–2 weeks after placement), you can shower or bathe normally.
The port itself is under the skin, so it’s waterproof.
When the port is accessed (with a needle in place for treatment), it will be covered with a sterile dressing, and you’ll need to keep that area dry—so sponge baths or a plastic cover may be used during treatment days.

🛌 Sleeping

Many people barely notice the port once it’s healed.
You can sleep on your back, side, or stomach—whatever is most comfortable.
If the port is on your chest, lying directly on it might feel tender at first. A soft pillow or positioning yourself slightly differently can help.
Over time, most people stop feeling it altogether when lying down.

🏃 Physical Activity

Normal daily activities like walking, light housework, or even gentle exercise are fine.
Avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activity for a couple of weeks after surgery to allow healing.
Activities like swimming, yoga, or biking are usually okay once your doctor clears you.
When the port is accessed with a needle, you may need to limit more active movements to avoid dislodging the needle.

👕 Clothing & Appearance

The port is a small bump under your skin. It’s usually not visible through clothing, though you might see a small scar.
Loose-fitting tops make access easier during treatments.
Some people wear soft padding under straps (like seatbelts or bag straps) if they irritate the port site.

🧼 Daily Care

When the port is not accessed, there’s no special care other than normal hygiene.
When it is accessed, your medical team will keep it clean, flushed, and covered with a sterile dressing.
The port must be flushed every few weeks if not in regular use to prevent clots.

💬 What It Feels Like

After healing, you may feel a firm disk under the skin, but it shouldn’t hurt.
You’ll feel a quick pinch each time the Huber needle is inserted for treatment—but numbing cream can be used to ease this.
Some people say they “forget it’s there” most of the time.

🚨 When to Call the Doctor

You should contact your healthcare team if you notice:

Redness, swelling, or pain at the port site
Fever or chills (could signal infection)
Difficulty flushing or accessing the port

✅ Bottom line: After a short healing period, most people find that living with a port doesn’t interfere with daily life. It makes treatments easier, more comfortable, and less stressful over time.

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When was the house at 27 Rutledge Road, Newport News, Virginia built?

(Zillow)

It appears that public records indicate the house at 27 Rutledge Road, Newport News, VA was built in 1955. (Zillow)

Since you were born in 1953, this suggests that you were likely not driven home to that exact house (as constructed) immediately after birth, because according to the records the house was built ~2 years later.

If you like, I can check local deed/tax records deeper (city/county archives) to see if there is any earlier structure or a predecessor building on that lot which might explain the family memory.

Short answer: the records say the house at 27 Rutledge Rd was built in 1955, so it wouldn’t have existed to bring a newborn home to in 1953. That suggests the family memory is off by a couple of years or refers to a different house (possibly on the same street or nearby). (Zillow)

Why I’m confident:

Multiple independent real-estate sources that pull from public records list 1955 as the year built for #27. (Zillow)
The whole Hidenwood area (which includes Rutledge Rd) was developed in the early–mid 1950s, consistent with a 1955 build. (Wikipedia)

How to verify officially (if you want to nail it down):

Newport News Real Estate Assessor online search — the city’s database is the primary record of a parcel’s “year built.” (Newport News)
Chain of title / building card — the Assessor can provide the parcel’s historical card or permit history if available. (Newport News)
City directories (1952–1956) via the Newport News Public Library — look up your family name and address to see where you lived in 1953–54. (Corroborates the story even if it was a different Rutledge address.)
Neighbor comps — adjacent homes on Rutledge also show 1955 builds, which supports a street-wide buildout that year. (Redfin)

Bottom line: Based on what’s publicly documented, the house at #27 wasn’t there in 1953. The memory could be of another nearby home—or of moving into #27 a couple of years later when it was new.

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Does taking an iron pill with milk instead of water reduce its effectiveness?

Yes — taking an iron pill with milk can reduce its effectiveness.

Here’s why:

🥛 Milk contains calcium, and calcium competes with iron for absorption in the intestines.
🚫 This means less iron actually gets absorbed into your bloodstream when taken with milk.
🩸 Iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach or with something that enhances absorption, like a glass of water or orange juice (vitamin C helps).

👉 Better options:

Take iron with water or orange juice.
Avoid taking it with milk, coffee, tea, or high-calcium foods.
If milk is necessary for comfort (to reduce stomach upset), try taking the iron at least 1–2 hours apart from dairy.

Here’s a clear, senior-friendly list of what helps and hurts iron absorption — especially useful if you’re taking supplements for mild anemia or low ferritin:

🟢 Foods & Habits That HELP Iron Absorption

🍊 Vitamin C–rich drinks and foods (enhances iron uptake):
- Orange juice, citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli.
🥩 Animal protein (heme iron is absorbed more easily):
- Beef, chicken, liver, fish, shellfish, eggs.
🌾 Cooking in cast iron pans (adds a small but helpful boost of iron).
🕐 Timing matters:
- Take iron 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals if possible.
- If your stomach gets upset, a light snack (not dairy) can help.
💊 Pairing iron with vitamin C supplements if your doctor recommends it.

🔴 Foods & Habits That BLOCK or Reduce Iron Absorption

🥛 Calcium-rich foods/drinks (milk, cheese, yogurt, fortified juices).
☕ Coffee and tea (tannins block iron uptake — even decaf).
🌾 High-fiber bran or whole grains (phytates interfere with absorption).
🫛 Some legumes and soy products (especially if eaten at the same time as iron).
💊 Calcium supplements or antacids (best taken at a different time of day).

🧠 Practical Tips for Daily Life

Take your iron pill with a glass of water or orange juice, not milk.
Separate iron and calcium by at least 2 hours.
If you drink coffee or tea in the morning, take iron later in the day.
Pairing a small piece of protein (like chicken or fish) with veggies can naturally improve absorption.
Keep a simple daily routine — same time every day — to help your body absorb consistently.

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Denmark’s current immigration policy is highly restrictive, prioritizing temporary protection over integration and aiming for a “zero refugee” intake. Key policies include making refugee status temporary, tightening rules for family reunification, requiring long periods of employment and language proficiency for permanent residency, confiscating valuable items from undocumented migrants, and even exploring moving asylum seekers to third countries.

This approach has been driven by a political consensus across the left and right, with the goal of preserving the welfare state and social cohesion. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Key aspects of Denmark’s immigration policy

Temporary protection: The policy emphasizes temporary asylum rather than long-term integration, with the goal of returning refugees to their home countries when it is considered safe. [2, 3, 9]
Strict residency requirements: Permanent residency requires a long period of legal stay (often eight years) and meeting strict criteria, including language proficiency, employment history, and passing residency tests. [4, 7, 11]
Deterrence and confiscation: Policies have been implemented to deter irregular migration, such as allowing authorities to confiscate personal valuables over a certain value from asylum seekers to fund processing costs. [5, 6]
Restricted family reunification: Family reunification is only possible after two years of legal residency. [4]
Social welfare limitations: Social benefits for asylum seekers have been reduced, and those with rejected asylum claims receive no benefits and are expected to return home or wait in return centers. [3, 5, 6]
“Ghetto” laws: Laws have been introduced to address what the government defines as “parallel societies,” which can include selling or demolishing housing in areas with a high concentration of residents with a “non-Western” background. [5, 12]
Externalizing asylum processing: Denmark has pioneered the idea of outsourcing asylum procedures to third countries, even though it has opt-outs from some EU asylum and migration policies. [8, 9, 10]
Shift in political discourse: The policy shift has been supported by a political consensus that has moved away from earlier liberal stances, with the center-left government adopting stricter measures than in previous years. [1, 2, 3, 5]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Md6svkf8NI

[2] https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/denmark-migration-profile-pioneer

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpmYsM1GcpE

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Denmark

[5] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1mgkd93r4yo

[6] https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/62576/denmark-unprecedented-measures-to-signal-to-migrants-they-are-not-welcome

[7] https://www.nyidanmark.dk/de-DE/You-want-to-apply/Permanent-residence-permit/Permanent-residence

[8] https://www.politico.eu/article/denmark-migration-eu-parliament-election-mette-frederiksen/

[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2b5z1FJTs8

[10] https://odi.org/en/insights/the-rise-of-the-far-right-in-denmark-and-sweden-and-why-its-vital-to-change-the-narrative-on-immigration/

[11] https://www.reddit.com/r/AmerExit/comments/1gmlpfm/basics_of_the_danish_immigration_system/

[12] https://ukandeu.ac.uk/denmarks-migration-policy-an-example-to-follow/

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The five possible grounds for claiming asylum in the U.S. are race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, and political opinion. These categories are based on the international definition of a refugee, and a claimant must demonstrate past persecution or a well-founded fear of future persecution based on one of these five grounds. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Five grounds for asylum:

Race: Discrimination or persecution based on one’s race. [1, 2]
Religion: Persecution for one’s religious beliefs, including forced conversion or punishment for refusing to follow a state-mandated religion. [2, 5]
Nationality: Discrimination or persecution related to one’s nationality, which can include forced displacement of an ethnic group. [2, 5]
Membership in a particular social group: Persecution against individuals based on a characteristic they share that is so fundamental to their identity that they should not be forced to shed it. [1, 2, 9, 10]
Political opinion: Persecution for one’s political beliefs or actions, such as imprisonment or torture for participating in political protests or opposition activities. [2, 5]