24 hours

After Satomi’s 4th Cyberknife session yesterday she was doing quite well.  A bit dizzy, fatigued, and a stiff neck-Normal for her treatment.  We all started to take things for granted and planned for her to go to work today.  That was a mistake.

She called me in the late morning and needed to go home.  My Mom picked her up and got her safely into bed.  I did not realize until I returned home later that afternoon just how bad it was.  She was getting dizzier, even when she sat in bed.  She had trouble walking to the bathroom and was nauseated.

I called the Neurosurgeon’s office late in the afternoon to get his opinion but didn’t get a call back right away.  Satomi fell asleep so I left it alone for the evening. 

The next Saturday morning she was so much worse.  She couldn’t roll over in bed without getting very dizzy.  She was dizzy with her eyes closed.  She was nauseated and could not stand up-let alone walk.  I worked the phones.

I had planned to go to a friends bachelor party in Vegas-driving up on Saturday morning and returning Sunday morning.  I called the best man and sent my condolences.

After about a dozen calls to various doctors, I first spoke with the Neurosurgeon on call.  He was not familiar with Satomi’s history.  After hearing the severity of the symptoms and the tone of my voice he recommended an ER visit.  I questioned his recommendation and it was almost entirely based upon his lack of familiarity with the case.  He recommended that I speak to the Cyberknife Radiation Oncologist (RO).

We should have taken those steriods that the  RO offered on Thursday.  I called the RO on-call three times before getting a response-I was frickin’ PO’d.  I repeated the symptoms and summarized history to the RO.  I also indicated that our RO offered steroids on Thursday.  He called the pharmacy and ordered us a bottle of Decadron.

At this point Satomi had a physical rating of 1 and an emotional rating of 2.  She felt like she was dying and was obviously emotional.  I was convinced that it was a brain swelling issue so I took comfort in the just prescribed drugs.  My emotional state was a 3.

I rushed over and got the drugs.  Upon my return, Satomi took the pill and took a nap.  I sat nearby and listened to her sleep.

I had packed for the overnight trip on that Saturday morning and had my bags stacked near the front door.  It was already early afternoon and I had mentally accepted a quiet evening at home in lieu of a drunken rampage through Vegas.

Approximately an hour later, Satomi awoke from her nap.  The change was drastic.  She was only dizzy a little bit and she could walk without tipping over-She felt so much better.  Everyone was so relieved.  I’d estimate her physical rating increased from a 1 to a 3; Her emotion rating went from a 2 to a 3.  No more talk about dying.  She was OK so my emotional state was a 4

After some urging, I threw my bags in the trunk and hoped that I could make our dinner reservation.  But that’s another story…