Another good week

We spent a lot of time together this week, from Susan’s orthopedist appointment on Monday to chemotherapy on Wednesday to her overnight hospitalization for back surgery on Thursday. It was a good week in all respects; and Susan did well. Monday’s visit with Dr Bhalla got Susan scheduled for Thursday’s kyphoplasty in short order, since it’s been almost two months since her L-1 fracture that by now has begun to heal. The doctor didn’t want to wait even another week. We got the pre-op and admissions stuff going right away.
On Wednesday, it was Nikki’s turn once again to help with Susan’s chemo, so we got excellent care. She remarked immediately about Susan’s appearance and her responsiveness and how much she’s improved in just two weeks. When her routine pre-chemo blood test showed low counts for red cells and hemoglobin, and especially because of Thursday’s kyphoplasty, she received a two-unit transfusion following Avastin and CPT-11. The additional three hours for the transfusion made for a long day at UCLA. After about seven hours in clinic, we left for Long Beach at 5pm. Earlier, as I watched each bag of blood drain into Susan’s body, I saw what it’s like to be on the receiving end of someone’s blood donation and remembered it’s been about a year since my last one. Human blood is one medical remedy scientists can’t manufacture – it must come from a vital person-to-person exchange. My friend Robbie Lyell and I got started donating in high school as soon as we met the age threshold at 18. A retired nurse named Ada was the volunteer who drained our blood at Apollo Park in Downey in 1981 and was the object of our teasing. I think Rob invited her to prom. We went partly for the cookies and I still do.
Thursday’s kyphoplasty brought Susan back as an inpatient at Long Beach Memorial fourteen months after her first brain surgery. This procedure was a breeze in comparison. She was wheeled from pre-op to the operating room at about 1:30pm and was done in about 45 minutes. We thank God for a smooth procedure and no complications. We had a great surprise when Susan’s cousin-in-law Carlos Gutierrez greeted us in scrubs and announced he would be the RN assisting Dr Bhalla. It was a fun scheduling “coincidence” I know the Lord arranged – and it was good to see Carlos in action. Even the anesthesiologist was familiar since he had done Susan’s mastectomy two years ago. It was all kind of a family affair. Of course the best result came with Dr Bhalla’s comments after surgery and exam on Friday. The surgery was a complete success. Susan has no physical restrictions, can resume full therapy right away, and will no longer need to wear a cumbersome back brace. We’re just thankful. We’re hoping she can remain free from complications or infection now, make progress with physical therapy, and return home when she’s able.

I realized how much Susan’s been through when I began to give the nursing team a summary of her medical history and current condition. My head was swimming with facts and details – lymph node removed during 2006 mastectomy (no BP or blood draws on right side); implants include surgical clips in her skull, the IVC filter, the L-P shunt, the port catheter; right side weakness and loss of vision due to stroke; unable to stand without assistance; needs zofran for nausea following yesterday’s chemotherapy – what important info did I forget? For some, a kyphoplasty might be a singular medical remedy to meet a significant need – for Susan, it’s one of many to follow a multitude. It’s kind of crazy; but that’s just how it is. During one quiet moment together at LB Memorial, I told Susan I loved her. She said, “I love you, too…but you got the better end of the deal.”