Thursday, February 09, 2006
APRIL....2004
Once we were home from John’s, Rocky got the call from his doctor. He had a tumor on the right side of the brain. He had already scheduled an appointment in Springfield with one of the foremost neurologists, a Dr. Ferguson. My blood froze. Surely this was some cruel mistake. It was the same report that Bear received, on the same side of his brain and we were to see the same neurologist. I could not, in my right mind, believe this could be happening again.
Our appointment was on Thursday and we decided not to panic until we talked with Dr. Ferguson. I kept praying the tumor wouldn’t be malignant. We found his office (he had moved since Bear’s visits) and were shown to an examining room to wait. In due time Dr. Ferguson arrived with the MRI pictures and we introduced ourselves back and forth.
He was very direct and to the point. He showed Rocky the tumor area and told him it was more or less in the dark area of the brain……which he said hadn’t effected his speech and motor skills. However, Rocky had experienced some slurring and the problem with the right eye, along with headaches. Dr. Ferguson said he could see from the MRI that this was undoubtedly a meningioma tumor which was not malignant and once it was out, Rocky should be fine.
He said it had probably been growing for a couple of years to be the size it was but had not protruded into the brain. It was between the skull and lining of the brain. Once it was out, it wouldn’t come back and he should recover fully from the surgery. We were beginning to breath a little easier…..when Dr. Ferguson was done talking Rocky asked me what I thought about the surgery. Before I could answer him he said….. “Don’t you think it should come out as soon as we can set it up?” I agreed and the date was set one week from that day. Surgery would be on the 15th of April.
I asked Dr. Ferguson if he remembered me and I told him about Bear. He did remember and assured me this time I would take my husband home….he was understanding of my concern. It had been seven years since I’d lost Bear and I didn’t want to lose another husband to the same killer. I felt better with his reassurances.
Becky took time off work and went with us on the surgical day……he was checked in and prepped and had an early surgery. Becky and I stayed in the waiting room and settled down as we figured it would be several hours. We went for coffee and a Danish and by the time we came back, Rocky was being taken to ICU, fully awake and doing well.
Becky and I stayed in a motel room connected to the hospital that night and came early the next day to see how Rocky was doing. He was in ICU yet and was sitting in a chair eating breakfast. As we entered the room he looked strangely at us and his left arm and hand began twitching…..then he couldn’t hold his mouth shut and his eyes rolled back in his head. I was terrified. I ran out to the nurses station and told his nurse he needed help. She came on the run and calmly said…… “He’s having a seizure….he’ll be all right….this is common after brain surgery.” She was so convincing I felt a lot better after my initial fright. We left the room while she attended to him and Dr. Ferguson came by to check on him……both telling me he was fine.
Becky went home with our neighbors who came to see Rocky over the weekend as she had to work on Monday. I stayed at the motel across from the hospital and on Tuesday, Dr. Ferguson said if I could take the staples out of Rocky’s incision he would let him go home that day. Otherwise we would have to stay until Thursday when the staples were to come out.
I told them I could do it…..the doctor and his nurse did a trial run with me and sent us home with the small tool to remove them. On Thursday, I did take them all out and Rocky didn‘t feel a thing. His strength came back and he was his old self in no time. It was amazing how one could undergo such serious surgery and in a week to 10 days be almost back to normal.
We didn’t make our trip to Eureka Springs that year. It was too soon after his surgery to try leaving home so we opted to stay put for our third wedding anniversary. We were both too full of gratitude to wish for anything more than a successful surgery and the prognosis that we wouldn’t have to go that route again. Dr. Ferguson made his promise good and we were both very grateful……..
If we are ever prone to take our good health for granted it doesn’t take long for me to realize it is a very special gift…..and one to be appreciated and thankful for.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
Our appointment was on Thursday and we decided not to panic until we talked with Dr. Ferguson. I kept praying the tumor wouldn’t be malignant. We found his office (he had moved since Bear’s visits) and were shown to an examining room to wait. In due time Dr. Ferguson arrived with the MRI pictures and we introduced ourselves back and forth.
He was very direct and to the point. He showed Rocky the tumor area and told him it was more or less in the dark area of the brain……which he said hadn’t effected his speech and motor skills. However, Rocky had experienced some slurring and the problem with the right eye, along with headaches. Dr. Ferguson said he could see from the MRI that this was undoubtedly a meningioma tumor which was not malignant and once it was out, Rocky should be fine.
He said it had probably been growing for a couple of years to be the size it was but had not protruded into the brain. It was between the skull and lining of the brain. Once it was out, it wouldn’t come back and he should recover fully from the surgery. We were beginning to breath a little easier…..when Dr. Ferguson was done talking Rocky asked me what I thought about the surgery. Before I could answer him he said….. “Don’t you think it should come out as soon as we can set it up?” I agreed and the date was set one week from that day. Surgery would be on the 15th of April.
I asked Dr. Ferguson if he remembered me and I told him about Bear. He did remember and assured me this time I would take my husband home….he was understanding of my concern. It had been seven years since I’d lost Bear and I didn’t want to lose another husband to the same killer. I felt better with his reassurances.
Becky took time off work and went with us on the surgical day……he was checked in and prepped and had an early surgery. Becky and I stayed in the waiting room and settled down as we figured it would be several hours. We went for coffee and a Danish and by the time we came back, Rocky was being taken to ICU, fully awake and doing well.
Becky and I stayed in a motel room connected to the hospital that night and came early the next day to see how Rocky was doing. He was in ICU yet and was sitting in a chair eating breakfast. As we entered the room he looked strangely at us and his left arm and hand began twitching…..then he couldn’t hold his mouth shut and his eyes rolled back in his head. I was terrified. I ran out to the nurses station and told his nurse he needed help. She came on the run and calmly said…… “He’s having a seizure….he’ll be all right….this is common after brain surgery.” She was so convincing I felt a lot better after my initial fright. We left the room while she attended to him and Dr. Ferguson came by to check on him……both telling me he was fine.
Becky went home with our neighbors who came to see Rocky over the weekend as she had to work on Monday. I stayed at the motel across from the hospital and on Tuesday, Dr. Ferguson said if I could take the staples out of Rocky’s incision he would let him go home that day. Otherwise we would have to stay until Thursday when the staples were to come out.
I told them I could do it…..the doctor and his nurse did a trial run with me and sent us home with the small tool to remove them. On Thursday, I did take them all out and Rocky didn‘t feel a thing. His strength came back and he was his old self in no time. It was amazing how one could undergo such serious surgery and in a week to 10 days be almost back to normal.
We didn’t make our trip to Eureka Springs that year. It was too soon after his surgery to try leaving home so we opted to stay put for our third wedding anniversary. We were both too full of gratitude to wish for anything more than a successful surgery and the prognosis that we wouldn’t have to go that route again. Dr. Ferguson made his promise good and we were both very grateful……..
If we are ever prone to take our good health for granted it doesn’t take long for me to realize it is a very special gift…..and one to be appreciated and thankful for.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
