I was dx'd the week after you. I agree that it's no fun to be "welcomed" to this club, but I've found the information and encouragement from this group to be invaluable.
I don't know whether you will *have* to get a port but I can share that I had one placed a week ago today and it wasn't a bad experience at all. I have never had a surgical procedure and was scared. It didn't hurt, and has healed nicely. I agree that it feels a bit different, and it's a bit itchy but otherwise fine. I did ask how many of these procedures my hospital did and they said 10-15 a day - so I felt like it would be done with expert hands and it was.
Good luck to you! I'm going for my second taxol tomorrow... long road ahead, but thankful there's a hopeful solution of sorts
