OK, I promised news when we returned, but was just too tired yesterday ! So
here goes ... it's a long one !
Left last Saturday morning & drove down to Sacramento ... got up Sunday &
headed to San Francisco. Got to have dinner & play at Fisherman's Wharf to
relax before the first day.
Monday ... headed for Stanford ... scared to death. They had decided to
break the treatments into 3 days. The first to be the longest doing the 2
top tumors together that day. Treatment lasted 2 hours on that luxurious
cushiony table ... not ! They gave me 2 steroids, made me take an extra
seizure med & sent me on my way. It was pretty scarry, but I had lots of
quality time with God that morning. The scariest part that day would have
been when the gammas hit something & numbed my throat & I had no feeling in
my neck area & couldn't swallow while that dose was going in. But it did go
away when the gammas changed their next position. We went back to the motel,
slept a couple of hours & went back to the wharf & walked around. I was
tired, but functioning.
Tuesday ... back for day 2. This was to be a shorter treatment, only doing
one of the bottom tumors, with the other one to be the last day. On the 3rd
"pass" the computer glitched & they called it a day, advising they could do
that last "pass" on the next day. Treatment only lasted approx 1-1/2 hours
.. just a quickie. I knew that day why they called it the cyber knife ...
hit a couple of spots where it felt like it burned it's way in. Ouch. Same
meds, same nap time & we went for a drive that evening to Scocilito (sp?)
Wednesday .. ya hoo, one more shot & we are out of here. First 2 days were
tolerable ... tiring, but no real side effects .. we can do this ! Well, 2
hours later & I staggered out. They must have saved the best for last,
'cause I felt awful. We drove to Fresno .. approx 3 hours ... to the in laws
for a couple of days to rest before the long drive home. My brain felt as if
it was swelling beyond capacity, dizzy, sick to my stomach, total confusion
... hey in-laws how do you like me so far ? LOL I felt so bad I couldn't
spend better time with them.
Friday ... headed for home. Stopped at Weed, CA for the night feeling
absolutely sick. Fell apart on my poor husband, got a really good cry out.
But he held me until I felt safe once again (I think the poor man is getting
used to "sticking" me back together).
Saturday ... tired and pressure again. After sitting in the car for 6 hours
again for the last leg home ... I realized on the last "pit stop" the car
noise was killing me. When Michael turned off the engine, this huge relief
came over me. Noise of the tiniest little bit, light & activity around me
are my worst enemies. It is almost the same as the prior craniotomies ... I
was so looking forward to bypassing that confusion stage. Had lots of pain
that evening.
Sunday ... determined for normal ? Got up & washed the dishes ... what could
be more normal ? I did it quite carefully not to clang any dishes ! Visited
with my mother & tried doing a few chores around the house. By the afternoon
I was seeing pretty colors in my left eye ... even when it was closed. Oops.
Perhaps overdid a little ? Took a seizure med & decided to shut up & lay
down on the couch for awhile. But that wouldn't last for long ... 'cause
here I am !!! LOL
This was more fun than another craniotomy, and they didn't make me eat jello.
I was hoping it to be a little less eventful on the side effects, but I
guess that will just make me appreciate feeling better that much more
special. I am looking forward to food tasting like food again ! Hoping this
will help anyone going in for the same treatment. I am planning on going
into the office tomorrow ... wish me luck ! LOL I know tomorrow will be
better.
Have a great week all !
Love ya,
Carol
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