Today is our 7th wedding anniversay. We discussed it and decided to forgoe celebrations until her Cyberknife treatments are completed.
John, a close family friend, sent a text message to both Satomi and I wishing us a “Happy Aniversary!” Apparently, Satomi felt so bad about the situation that she felt it necessary to apologize to John for our lack of celebration.
Actually, in the fog that is her consciousness, Satomi thought I was the author of the original message thus prompting the beforementioned apology. We both got a good laugh out of the confusion. I still haven’t read the actual text but I am assured by both Parties that nothing illicit was said. That’s too bad-At least I would have had a witness to the illicitness.
Satomi is in the treatment room now. It has become a bit routine and familiar. Everything is proceeding as normal. On her way to treatment, she had a spark in her eye and a quick walking pace. I was pleasantly surprised. She still couldn’t look out the window while driving but overall she was much better. I’d estimate her physical and emotional rating at a 4.
She finished her antibiotics yesterday. Maybe that is the reason for her reduced dizziness. We’re gearing up for the start of the oral chemo.
2 1/2 hours later she was out and we went to Cheesecake Factory for a late lunch. Her neck was still stiff as before but she slept through most of the procedure. Maybe I’m being dillusional but it sure seems like it’s getting easier. Knock on wood.
We intended Sunday be a slow day.
Out for breakfast at Polly’s Pies with the girls and a day of rest at home-No pressure, no responsibilities, no visitors.
It was a restful day.
She was still moderately dizzy so I’d give her a physical rating of 3 but an emotional rating of 4.
Not much more to report today.
This Saturday reminded me of our busy lives of years past-A day full of events and running around.
Both Satomi and I had our concerns about a full day but promised ourselves not to change plans until we absolutely knew that they couldn’t be kept. I’m glad we follow through on our plans.
After dropping the kids off at Baachan’s house, I played chauffeur and drove Satomi up to a close friend’s baby shower at a restaurant in Torrance. I had specific criteria to determine if Satomi would actually attend the event or just drop off the gift. Things like: Is the food service a buffet or table? Are there any stairs between the room and the restroom? Is there room to walk between the tables? Blah, blah, blah.
The room was perfect and as it turned out, the event was perfect too. Satomi sat with several of our closest friends and had a great time. I spent the 2 1/2 hours reading a cancer nutrition book and a magazine article about gut-reduction exercises (mine-not hears). Not wanting to intrude on my wifey’s woman space, I kept to a distant, but reasonably close watch on her from the parking lot or restaurant bar stool.
She was dizzy during the entire event and did have to wear dark glasses during the drive to and fro but all-in-all, she felt good. Physical rating between a 3 and 4 and an emotional rating between a 4 and 5. My emotional rating was about a 3 since the parking lot did, at times, become a bit boring.
After the shower, we drove back to Baachan’s house and prepared for a gathering of people to watch the UFC fight. I love this MMA stuff but with Satomi’s cancer, I had missed the last event-UFC 97 if memory serves. Today, everything seemed to come together to allow me some UFC 98. I was very excited but made it crystal clear to all that I would take Satomi home in an instant if she didn’t feel well. Luckily she lasted through a dinner of take-out pasta and pizza, the commotion and noise of 7 little kids running in all directions, and the sounds of 7 men screaming at the TV screen. (Go Machida! Beat that arrogant bastard down! Sorry-I digress.) We didn’t get home until almost 11pm. Now how the heck did Satomi last almost 4 hours of what must be vivid over-stimulation? Let me put it this way: Sometimes, partial deafness can be a useful thing.
At the end of the day, Satomi’s ratings remained the same while mine increased to a 4. It was an excellent UFC fight-Lyoto Machida is the new Light Heavyweight champion.
Satomi woke up dizzy and wisely decided not to go to work. I just got home from a half day at the office and she’s been in bed all day. She’s still dizzy-Actually, it just got worse.
Apparently it happened right after she took the antibiotics for the surgery site infection. That was way to suspicious so she dove into reading that drug information package that comes from the pharmacy. After reading all that fine print we realized that that an allergic reaction to Bactrim and/or Keflex could be indicated by diziness. Satomi is allergic to Pennicilin so the use of Keflex was questioned while we were in the ER last week. A small percentage of people allergic to Pennicilin will also be allergic to Keflex. As a test, the ER doctor administered a single dose of Keflex and observed her for any sign of reaction. There were no signs of allergic reaction so we went home.
Satomi has been taking the Bactrim/Keflex combination since last week. Her Keflex dosage ends tomorrow and the Bactrim sometime next week. I will contact the doctor about the possible inter and re-action. Hopefully she can get some relief from the dizziness.
Her physical health is a 2 but her emotional state is a 3.
The Cyberknife session was the same as the first-over 2 hours of plastic immobility. I am so thankful that she slept through it all. Her neck was a bit stiff but not as much as last time. She felt quite dizzy and nauseous.
Satomi has never suffered from motion sickness but now it seems like she can’t get away from it. This dizziness really concerns me. A fall would not be pretty.
I trust her opinion of her own capabilities but I need to continually raise the question: How is she feeling?
With the dizziness and nauseous thing, I’m dropping her daily health rating from a 3 to a 2.
Satomi’s been in bed since getting home nearly 3 hours ago… and she is still dizzy.
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