Sunday, November 23, 2008
11/19/2008 - First Cup of Tea
Shiro and Taketo told me to take the day "off". I went back to work, but it was strange to go home so early at night. I went for an Alexander session with our yoga teacher, Judith, but I didn't stay for yoga, because that would expend energy, and I needed all of the energy I could muster.
I called SICU twice, to see how they were getting along. Once, the nurse said that Shiro was a little frustrated because they had to throw him out so many times, and once, Elaine, a nurse he had had previously, said he drank a cup of tea. I was so surprised. That was the first thing he has had to eat or drink in more than two weeks. It must have tasted like the most delicious thing in the whole world!
I called SICU twice, to see how they were getting along. Once, the nurse said that Shiro was a little frustrated because they had to throw him out so many times, and once, Elaine, a nurse he had had previously, said he drank a cup of tea. I was so surprised. That was the first thing he has had to eat or drink in more than two weeks. It must have tasted like the most delicious thing in the whole world!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
11/18/2008 - Shiro day!
I worked half a day, and then went to the hospital. It felt pretty good to be back, even if I'm a little disoriented.
Terumi had one IV taken out this afternoon. One of the young doctors evidently pulled the nose tube a little to straighten it out in his stomach, and after that, not so much was coming out of it. He is hungry, but can only eat a few ice chips -- yum! It's an upgrade from the sponge with water, though. Yesterday evening I decided to be really optimistic, and made a reservation near our house for Thanksgiving dinner.
Yesterday he had the dressing changed, and today he has a much longer elastic binder, going from hips to chest, but he doesn't seem to mind it.
Terumi had one IV taken out this afternoon. One of the young doctors evidently pulled the nose tube a little to straighten it out in his stomach, and after that, not so much was coming out of it. He is hungry, but can only eat a few ice chips -- yum! It's an upgrade from the sponge with water, though. Yesterday evening I decided to be really optimistic, and made a reservation near our house for Thanksgiving dinner.
Yesterday he had the dressing changed, and today he has a much longer elastic binder, going from hips to chest, but he doesn't seem to mind it.
All the King's horses, and all the King's men,
Are doing a pretty good job of putting Terumi
Back together, again!!
We realized he's gone cold turkey on coffee and tobacco, too. Taketo's friend, Ma-chan, gave him a crystal pipe stand, for him to put the pipes in . . . and just look at them!
So where's Shiro? I called Taketo, who was on his way, and they arrived about 6:30 at the hospital entrance. We tried to orient Shiro as to where things are located. I went in first, and told Terumi that Taketo was on his way. Taketo came in and said that Terumi looked so good last night, he decided to bring a friend along tonight. Probably Terumi thought it would be Ma-chan who sent him the gift.
Well, in walked Shiro, and Terumi did a double-take. His eyes got really big, his jaw dropped almost to the floor and he pointed. The nurses started to laugh and applaud, because everybody was in on the joke except Terumi.
He was really happy!! It was late, so we left at 9:00 and ate at the Oriental Pearl next to the hotel booked for Shiro. It was the closest one to the hospital, which was what he asked for, and it was almost the only one in town. (Some rooms might be rented by the hour.)
11/17/2008 - Monday
I stayed with Terumi most of the day. He had a dressing change, and morphine, which always leaves him a little loopy and confused. The nurse said he had been confused before they gave it to him, though. With every day the same, I'm feeling that way, too.
This day went by in a haze of nothing. He's being quite good. We watched the news, but he's not really interested in TV. I found the books he wanted and brought them, along with every pair of glasses he has. He chose the glasses, and might have read a little in one of the books. I know he's not sleeping well, but then -- he never did.
Terumi is still demanding ice cream. When Dr. Feldman came by, which is the highlight of his day, Doctor said, "When you can have ice cream, I'll bring it to you myself!!"
Taketo came to visit and kindly drove me home. Little does Terumi know what a BIG surprise he's going to get tomorrow. I'm hoping it will boost his spirits up quite a bit. Taketo also saw him watching everybody who comes in the door of the SICU, and thought it would be better not to tell him what is about to happen. If he knew Shiro was coming, he'd be on tenterhooks every time somebody opened the door.
This day went by in a haze of nothing. He's being quite good. We watched the news, but he's not really interested in TV. I found the books he wanted and brought them, along with every pair of glasses he has. He chose the glasses, and might have read a little in one of the books. I know he's not sleeping well, but then -- he never did.
Terumi is still demanding ice cream. When Dr. Feldman came by, which is the highlight of his day, Doctor said, "When you can have ice cream, I'll bring it to you myself!!"
Taketo came to visit and kindly drove me home. Little does Terumi know what a BIG surprise he's going to get tomorrow. I'm hoping it will boost his spirits up quite a bit. Taketo also saw him watching everybody who comes in the door of the SICU, and thought it would be better not to tell him what is about to happen. If he knew Shiro was coming, he'd be on tenterhooks every time somebody opened the door.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
11/15/2008 - Quiet Sunday
Today, our landlord's wife, Betty, kindly drove me to the hospital, so I didn't have to deal with the subway-LIRR-taxi.
Terumi was very quiet, today, and very lucid. He knows where he is, and he knows exactly what is going on. The nurse said it was almost as if he had changed personality after the last surgery, but I think it must be a change in medicines. He is mostly off the sedative. In talking with other people in the SICU waiting room, he's not the only one with an open tummy, and almost all men try to get out as he was doing the other day.
The only thing that was strange was he asked if I had bought a small car. He said I kept telling him there was a surprise coming. I didn't tell him, but the surprise is his brother, Shiro, who will arrive here from Japan on the 18th. Taketo is going to drive him to Manhasset, and I booked a hotel room. One of the nurses early on told me that Terumi was asking for Shiro, wanting to see him, and Shiro said the same thing to me over the phone.
He was able to watch the Giants game, and I hope he enjoyed it. He's hungry and thirsty, but almost too quiet. He knows there is another surgery to get through, and it may come tomorrow. While he was watching the game, I walked up the hill to the extended care facility and had a nice visit with Dr. and Mrs. Feldman. She is so tiny and fragile.
Terumi kept asking when Taketo would come. Finally he did, while the nurses were changing shifts. Since Terumi is watching everyone who comes in the door of SICU, I thought we better not tell him about Shiro, otherwise he will be hoping every person who opens the door is the one he wants most to see.
I have no idea if surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. Dr. Blau didn't come by, but he certainly deserves a day off. They took the tube out, indicating there won't be surgery, but on the other hand they won't let Terumi eat or drink, indicating there will be surgery. Mixed signals -- I have no idea what to tell my boss about tomorrow.
Terumi was very quiet, today, and very lucid. He knows where he is, and he knows exactly what is going on. The nurse said it was almost as if he had changed personality after the last surgery, but I think it must be a change in medicines. He is mostly off the sedative. In talking with other people in the SICU waiting room, he's not the only one with an open tummy, and almost all men try to get out as he was doing the other day.
The only thing that was strange was he asked if I had bought a small car. He said I kept telling him there was a surprise coming. I didn't tell him, but the surprise is his brother, Shiro, who will arrive here from Japan on the 18th. Taketo is going to drive him to Manhasset, and I booked a hotel room. One of the nurses early on told me that Terumi was asking for Shiro, wanting to see him, and Shiro said the same thing to me over the phone.
He was able to watch the Giants game, and I hope he enjoyed it. He's hungry and thirsty, but almost too quiet. He knows there is another surgery to get through, and it may come tomorrow. While he was watching the game, I walked up the hill to the extended care facility and had a nice visit with Dr. and Mrs. Feldman. She is so tiny and fragile.
Terumi kept asking when Taketo would come. Finally he did, while the nurses were changing shifts. Since Terumi is watching everyone who comes in the door of SICU, I thought we better not tell him about Shiro, otherwise he will be hoping every person who opens the door is the one he wants most to see.
I have no idea if surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. Dr. Blau didn't come by, but he certainly deserves a day off. They took the tube out, indicating there won't be surgery, but on the other hand they won't let Terumi eat or drink, indicating there will be surgery. Mixed signals -- I have no idea what to tell my boss about tomorrow.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
11/14/2008 - Spartacus!
Since it's Saturday, it took a long time to get to the hospital. I yelled at the cab drivers, but it didn't do much good.
Terumi seemed very subdued when I came in, but then he has always been tired the day after surgery. Who wouldn't be. He was wearing a mask, so the breathing tube was out, and a little later they took the mask off, too and left the oxygen thing in his nose. I combed his hair, and he asked me if I could wipe his face, too. He can hardly speak, but his voice is still there, and will be back.
I told him I was going out for a minute, and came back with Taketo, which made him happy. Taketo said he was like Spartacus, but was very relieved at how good he looks. Mercifully, he took me home, so I didn't have to deal with the cabs, LIRR or subways. He said he'll try to come again tomorrow.
Terumi seemed very subdued when I came in, but then he has always been tired the day after surgery. Who wouldn't be. He was wearing a mask, so the breathing tube was out, and a little later they took the mask off, too and left the oxygen thing in his nose. I combed his hair, and he asked me if I could wipe his face, too. He can hardly speak, but his voice is still there, and will be back.
I told him I was going out for a minute, and came back with Taketo, which made him happy. Taketo said he was like Spartacus, but was very relieved at how good he looks. Mercifully, he took me home, so I didn't have to deal with the cabs, LIRR or subways. He said he'll try to come again tomorrow.
11/13/2008 - Fourth Surgery
When I called in the morning, I was told that Terumi was about to be moved to a regular room, and I let Carolyn in my office know that. She passed the word along, and I got a few happy emails.
When I arrived and walked into SICU, there was complete chaos. Terumi was trying to climb out of the bed, and had one leg almost over the railing. I yelled, "What are you doing!! Terumi Tokita, you get back in that bed!!"
The nurse said he sat up or got up, vomited, and broke his dressing. Dr. Blau's version was more plausible. Terumi had pulled out his feeding tube, then he doubled over to throw up, and when he did that, some of the stitching holding his dressing pulled out. I signed the consent for another surgery.
Just then he had to throw up again. The nurse wasn't there, so I grabbed a pan to put under his head and emptied it twice. Finally the nurse pulled him up in the bed, and brought a bigger pan. Dr. Blau was not happy with the vomiting, and said they would pump Terumi's stomach. As they wheeled him past into surgery, I yelled, "Gambatte!!"
While waiting for them to come out of surgery, I had to reply to Carolyn and others at my office, that I spoke too soon about Terumi being moved to a regular room.
Dr. Blau came in afterwards and explained to me what they did and how the wound looked. He said he would try to close the abdomen on Monday. He also said Terumi would have a hernia while he healed, but that they would have to fix it later.
When I went in to see Terumi, he was asleep, again with a breathing tube. Oh, Terumi, why did you do that?? Why didn't they tie you down? My son's friend, Peter, had warned me that you aren't in your right mind. Peter said he himself had decked a nurse (punched her out cold) while in the hospital on a painkiller, and later I found out that it is not at all uncommon for people to pull out their tubes.
Tomorrow at least Taketo is coming to see him. I know he will be tired after surgery. Who wouldn't be . . . and he had quite an active day to boot.
When I arrived and walked into SICU, there was complete chaos. Terumi was trying to climb out of the bed, and had one leg almost over the railing. I yelled, "What are you doing!! Terumi Tokita, you get back in that bed!!"
The nurse said he sat up or got up, vomited, and broke his dressing. Dr. Blau's version was more plausible. Terumi had pulled out his feeding tube, then he doubled over to throw up, and when he did that, some of the stitching holding his dressing pulled out. I signed the consent for another surgery.
Just then he had to throw up again. The nurse wasn't there, so I grabbed a pan to put under his head and emptied it twice. Finally the nurse pulled him up in the bed, and brought a bigger pan. Dr. Blau was not happy with the vomiting, and said they would pump Terumi's stomach. As they wheeled him past into surgery, I yelled, "Gambatte!!"
While waiting for them to come out of surgery, I had to reply to Carolyn and others at my office, that I spoke too soon about Terumi being moved to a regular room.
Dr. Blau came in afterwards and explained to me what they did and how the wound looked. He said he would try to close the abdomen on Monday. He also said Terumi would have a hernia while he healed, but that they would have to fix it later.
When I went in to see Terumi, he was asleep, again with a breathing tube. Oh, Terumi, why did you do that?? Why didn't they tie you down? My son's friend, Peter, had warned me that you aren't in your right mind. Peter said he himself had decked a nurse (punched her out cold) while in the hospital on a painkiller, and later I found out that it is not at all uncommon for people to pull out their tubes.
Tomorrow at least Taketo is coming to see him. I know he will be tired after surgery. Who wouldn't be . . . and he had quite an active day to boot.
11/12/2008 - Loop de loop
I can't say that Peter didn't warn us about the effects of the sedatives and painkillers.
Today I arrived -- actually, I raced in after the nurse told me his dressing would be changed, which I thought meant surgery. I made it in a little more than an hour (E or F to Roosevelt; 7 to Woodside; LIRR to Manhasset; taxi to hospital), which meant that every transfer went exactly right. They had finished changing the dressing, so it wasn't a surgical procedure.
Terumi was mostly awake, eyes open and talking, albeit softly. Today he had the breathing tube removed even though the last surgery hasn't been done. It's been in too long (maybe they expected to close before now), and so that means surgery won't be done today. They replaced the mask fairly soon with the nose oxygen thingy (it MUST have a name). It looks like he has about 1/3 basketball instead of half for a tummy.
He was in a frustrated, bad mood from the beginning, though (and really, who can blame him). "I'm getting up." "No, you're not." "Just watch me." "OK" "Pull me up." "You can't get up -- you're attached to all those machines." "Can you carry some?" (Should we laugh or cry?) "May I have some ice cream?" "No, you can't eat anything." "I'm hungry!" "May I have a pot of tea?" "No, you can't drink anything." "I'm THIRSTY!!" (At least he could have some water on a sponge.) "Where is it." "Where is what?" "The thing I asked for." "What thing?" "You know -- you went out to get it." "What?" "ICE CREAM." "You have to stay with the tube food for now."
The leg kept sliding off the bed, with the other leg trying to follow. He kept pulling on the oxygen nose piece and touching the feeding tube. He was fascinated with the light on the finger piece measuring blood oxygen. He didn't want the breathing treatment, or anything but ice cream and to get up and out of the bed.
It was the medication talking. He didn't remember it later, thank goodness. During a quieter moment, he pointed out of the window, towards the sky. "There's an Indian girl watching me . . . the one who stayed at our house. Can you get her address?" and later . . . "The (couldn't quite hear) people are celebrating."
Today I arrived -- actually, I raced in after the nurse told me his dressing would be changed, which I thought meant surgery. I made it in a little more than an hour (E or F to Roosevelt; 7 to Woodside; LIRR to Manhasset; taxi to hospital), which meant that every transfer went exactly right. They had finished changing the dressing, so it wasn't a surgical procedure.
Terumi was mostly awake, eyes open and talking, albeit softly. Today he had the breathing tube removed even though the last surgery hasn't been done. It's been in too long (maybe they expected to close before now), and so that means surgery won't be done today. They replaced the mask fairly soon with the nose oxygen thingy (it MUST have a name). It looks like he has about 1/3 basketball instead of half for a tummy.
He was in a frustrated, bad mood from the beginning, though (and really, who can blame him). "I'm getting up." "No, you're not." "Just watch me." "OK" "Pull me up." "You can't get up -- you're attached to all those machines." "Can you carry some?" (Should we laugh or cry?) "May I have some ice cream?" "No, you can't eat anything." "I'm hungry!" "May I have a pot of tea?" "No, you can't drink anything." "I'm THIRSTY!!" (At least he could have some water on a sponge.) "Where is it." "Where is what?" "The thing I asked for." "What thing?" "You know -- you went out to get it." "What?" "ICE CREAM." "You have to stay with the tube food for now."
The leg kept sliding off the bed, with the other leg trying to follow. He kept pulling on the oxygen nose piece and touching the feeding tube. He was fascinated with the light on the finger piece measuring blood oxygen. He didn't want the breathing treatment, or anything but ice cream and to get up and out of the bed.
It was the medication talking. He didn't remember it later, thank goodness. During a quieter moment, he pointed out of the window, towards the sky. "There's an Indian girl watching me . . . the one who stayed at our house. Can you get her address?" and later . . . "The (couldn't quite hear) people are celebrating."
11/11/2008 - Happy Birthday, Terumi!!!
I went home soon after the nurses changed shifts. The new nurse seemed "schlumpy" somehow. I thought I would take a nap, but instead ended up answering questions, catching up email and just doing things. Before going back, I stopped to pick up a cake for Terumi. Really, we'll have a big party later.
When I got there, I realized how wrong I had been about the nurse. Carol had him smiling, and his eyes were open. She had untied his hands, and was lifting his arms above his head -- Whee!!! She is a great nurse. He was bathed, shaved and looked very good. She is an earth mother, and he was clearly happy.
Before going back to the hospital, I had called Lydia in Dr. Feldman's office about seeing Mrs. Feldman, Dr's wife, who is in the extended care facility that everyone says is "just up the hill". I debated about giving the cake to Mrs. Feldman, but Lydia said she is very allergic to soy. Not wanting to chance it, I gave the cake to the nurses. They all gathered around and sang "Happy Birthday", and Terumi smiled.
Here is what I wrote to my brother:
"Dear Mikie . . . I've learned something about Terumi that neither he nor I knew for sure -- he's a fighter, and he's an optimist. Otherwise he wouldn't have been smiling and laughing!!!"
When I got there, I realized how wrong I had been about the nurse. Carol had him smiling, and his eyes were open. She had untied his hands, and was lifting his arms above his head -- Whee!!! She is a great nurse. He was bathed, shaved and looked very good. She is an earth mother, and he was clearly happy.
Before going back to the hospital, I had called Lydia in Dr. Feldman's office about seeing Mrs. Feldman, Dr's wife, who is in the extended care facility that everyone says is "just up the hill". I debated about giving the cake to Mrs. Feldman, but Lydia said she is very allergic to soy. Not wanting to chance it, I gave the cake to the nurses. They all gathered around and sang "Happy Birthday", and Terumi smiled.
Here is what I wrote to my brother:
"Dear Mikie . . . I've learned something about Terumi that neither he nor I knew for sure -- he's a fighter, and he's an optimist. Otherwise he wouldn't have been smiling and laughing!!!"
11/10/2008 - Dreaded Birthday Eve
Early, early this morning, my baby went back to San Francisco. I'm really going to miss him. It was a terrible way to get a lot of time together to talk, but he is also a tower of strength, and one who is happy to share it.
Today is the birthday eve. Terumi has always been very superstitious about birthdays. It's his theory that men die before their birthdays and women die afterwards. I don't know if he knows what the date is, but he might hear it during the day, and so we're going to spend the night. I say "we" because there are three other ladies I always see in the waiting room, and I know the Indian lady whose daughter is in ICU always spends the night there. The idea is to stay with him until midnight, and then it will be too late to take the train home. Masato urges me not to do it, but maybe I'll decide later.
Since he had surgery yesterday, he's quite tired today, so I decided to stay. As I told Masato, this one is easy . . . we'll just breathe together. His nurse, Jen, and I counted down to midnight with no problem. We wished him a happy birthday, and he smiled and remained asleep.
Deborah, who went to visit her in-laws in Arizona, wrote this to me today:
"Vernon's dad said a prayer and sang a blessing song on mr. T's behalf when we were at Kitt Peak today. Navajos consider mountains to be sacred. We all touched corn pollen to our lips and foreheads and sprinkled it in a circle over the ground. "
"They said I might be able to get some herbs to burn in the hospital room, but I don't think they would go for that in intensive care! I will try to come up with something more in line with rules and regs "
Today is the birthday eve. Terumi has always been very superstitious about birthdays. It's his theory that men die before their birthdays and women die afterwards. I don't know if he knows what the date is, but he might hear it during the day, and so we're going to spend the night. I say "we" because there are three other ladies I always see in the waiting room, and I know the Indian lady whose daughter is in ICU always spends the night there. The idea is to stay with him until midnight, and then it will be too late to take the train home. Masato urges me not to do it, but maybe I'll decide later.
Since he had surgery yesterday, he's quite tired today, so I decided to stay. As I told Masato, this one is easy . . . we'll just breathe together. His nurse, Jen, and I counted down to midnight with no problem. We wished him a happy birthday, and he smiled and remained asleep.
Deborah, who went to visit her in-laws in Arizona, wrote this to me today:
"Vernon's dad said a prayer and sang a blessing song on mr. T's behalf when we were at Kitt Peak today. Navajos consider mountains to be sacred. We all touched corn pollen to our lips and foreheads and sprinkled it in a circle over the ground. "
"They said I might be able to get some herbs to burn in the hospital room, but I don't think they would go for that in intensive care! I will try to come up with something more in line with rules and regs "
11/09/2008 - Third Surgery
When Michael and I arrived today, I felt his head, and he seemed a little warm. I must be mistaken, but wasn't. He had a fever of about 100 degrees. Where, why??? There are hand sanitizers all around, and people are very good about washing their hands. Did we bring it in?? We'll never know.
The nurse told me they cultured his blood (I never did find the results), and because he was hooked to so many tubes, they decided to change them all, which was a major operation, instead of taking a chance. They told us that sometimes infection sets in through the tubes.
Unbeknownst to me, Dr. Blau had scheduled a surgical dressing change. He came into the room while they were changing the tubes, and was clearly mad at the staff about something, although we couldn't tell exactly what, since we kept being thrown out of the room. He wasn't happy about the fever at all.
Bad, bad vibes for surgery. We stood by as Terumi was wheeled past us into OR about 7 pm, and yelled, "Oto-chama, GAMBATTE!!!"
I went back into SICU to talk to the nurse. She had disappeared and there was a very young resident there talking to someone on the phone. It turned out to be Dr. Blau. They had forgotten to give me a consent to sign. Dr. Blau came roaring back. I signed, although I could barely write my name. He spoke to us calmly to tell us he was going to change the dressing and check the wound. Nevertheless, bad vibes were all around. We could barely speak, and so until Dr. Blau came back to the waiting room, we mindlessly sat there, each in a different world.
Dr. Blau said he cultured various parts of Terumi's abdomen, and there was no sign of infection; the wound was clean. He also said that Terumi would have a hernia after this was all over, but they would take care of it later -- maybe in about a year.
Michael and I went in to see him asleep again. They were going to leave him asleep until the morning. Clearly, Michael didn't really want to leave, but we went home very late -- or very early, depending on how you look at it. I told him that Terumi is very strong, still, and this would not be the last time he would see him. Michael managed to get a few hours of sleep.
The nurse told me they cultured his blood (I never did find the results), and because he was hooked to so many tubes, they decided to change them all, which was a major operation, instead of taking a chance. They told us that sometimes infection sets in through the tubes.
Unbeknownst to me, Dr. Blau had scheduled a surgical dressing change. He came into the room while they were changing the tubes, and was clearly mad at the staff about something, although we couldn't tell exactly what, since we kept being thrown out of the room. He wasn't happy about the fever at all.
Bad, bad vibes for surgery. We stood by as Terumi was wheeled past us into OR about 7 pm, and yelled, "Oto-chama, GAMBATTE!!!"
I went back into SICU to talk to the nurse. She had disappeared and there was a very young resident there talking to someone on the phone. It turned out to be Dr. Blau. They had forgotten to give me a consent to sign. Dr. Blau came roaring back. I signed, although I could barely write my name. He spoke to us calmly to tell us he was going to change the dressing and check the wound. Nevertheless, bad vibes were all around. We could barely speak, and so until Dr. Blau came back to the waiting room, we mindlessly sat there, each in a different world.
Dr. Blau said he cultured various parts of Terumi's abdomen, and there was no sign of infection; the wound was clean. He also said that Terumi would have a hernia after this was all over, but they would take care of it later -- maybe in about a year.
Michael and I went in to see him asleep again. They were going to leave him asleep until the morning. Clearly, Michael didn't really want to leave, but we went home very late -- or very early, depending on how you look at it. I told him that Terumi is very strong, still, and this would not be the last time he would see him. Michael managed to get a few hours of sleep.
11/08/2008 - HIbernating
I just contacted the SICU to see how he is. The morning nurse said he pushed his tube out during the night by coughing and with his tongue, so they had to reposition it. They took some of the blood pressure medication off, because his heart rate went up too high. Dr. Feldman said his chest is more clear and heartbeat more regular. I call him the bear as you know, and he's hibernating.
Right at this moment, he appears comfortable, and to be sleeping underneath the sedation. It's strange how you can see that fairly easily. As far as Terumi's signs: (1) his color has always been good and he is normal Terumi-color (even though he was a little pale right after the operation, he was never ash color like before the first operation); (2) he has never had a fever; (3) oxygen saturation of the blood has almost always been in the 100% range; (4) sometimes his abdomen appears swollen, and sometimes it does not. Everyone says he is very strong.
I do not believe his life is in danger anymore. I sent the narrative as you see it early on to Dr. Tsuchiya and to Masato so together, they could explain it to Terumi's brother, Shiro.
Right at this moment, he appears comfortable, and to be sleeping underneath the sedation. It's strange how you can see that fairly easily. As far as Terumi's signs: (1) his color has always been good and he is normal Terumi-color (even though he was a little pale right after the operation, he was never ash color like before the first operation); (2) he has never had a fever; (3) oxygen saturation of the blood has almost always been in the 100% range; (4) sometimes his abdomen appears swollen, and sometimes it does not. Everyone says he is very strong.
I do not believe his life is in danger anymore. I sent the narrative as you see it early on to Dr. Tsuchiya and to Masato so together, they could explain it to Terumi's brother, Shiro.
11/07/2008 - Wildman emerges
On Friday, the morning nurse said Terumi had been moving his head from side to side. When they wanted to suction his throat, he would bite on the tube so the suction device could not go in. He also was trying to open his eyes. They had to put a bite block in his mouth to keep him from biting on his tube. Because of his moving around, they had to give him a little more sedative, which meant re-regulating the other medicines to keep the heart from beating too fast, and to adjust the blood pressure. He seemed slightly swollen -- I think because of the blood pressure medication -- but the nurse said some of the swelling had gone down, including in his eyes.
The rounds doctors had suggested trying to tube feed him about a spoonful an hour, but the nurses disagreed. Because his abdomen was swollen, the nurses did not think he could tolerate it, and so did not do it. Dr. Feldman came in while I was there, and was quite pleased with his progress. He said Terumi's chest was much better -- much less fluid. Of course, they want to use as little medication as possible.
Before we left, the night nurse said she was going to retract the blood pressure medication little by little to see how little he needs. We asked him if he knew they were calling him "Wildman". It definitely was not our imagination -- he nodded and smiled with the corners of his eyes and mouth.
The rounds doctors had suggested trying to tube feed him about a spoonful an hour, but the nurses disagreed. Because his abdomen was swollen, the nurses did not think he could tolerate it, and so did not do it. Dr. Feldman came in while I was there, and was quite pleased with his progress. He said Terumi's chest was much better -- much less fluid. Of course, they want to use as little medication as possible.
Before we left, the night nurse said she was going to retract the blood pressure medication little by little to see how little he needs. We asked him if he knew they were calling him "Wildman". It definitely was not our imagination -- he nodded and smiled with the corners of his eyes and mouth.
11/06/2008 - Trying to be calming
On Thursday, Michael and I went to Judith Isaacs' apartment. She is our yoga teacher, and was willing to be recorded talking him through relaxing. We knew Terumi could hear our voices, and we thought there was a chance he might obey her voice. Michael created the world's smallest "boom box" to play the recording in SICU.
When we got to the hospital, he looked good, even though still asleep. We played the recording twice, and each time, he started to cough when he heard it. We were not sure exactly what his reaction meant, but at least it appeared to be a reaction. His blood pressure seemed low on the monitor, but I'm not a doctor. The nurse explained that because of his open abdomen, they couldn't put the sensors where they normally put them. (Later, when I saw Dr. Feldman on Friday, he told me that Terumi's chest had a lot of fluid in it on Thursday, and also that the new steel mesh covering his abdomen had been broken. He said it was very typical; his wife had pulled her tubes completely out.)
Michael and I tried to tell him when his blood pressure was going up on the monitor, and we told him over and over that he was medically asleep, his brain was OK, and he would make a full recovery. We did tell him that he was being kept asleep for a medical reason, and that even so, he could do some helpful and healing things for himself. The most important thing is to lie quietly and not thrash about. Michael said later, "You know, I'm glad he has the strength to thrash about, but on the other hand . . . it's not good to do that with your tummy open."
I received an email asking about Terumi from our good friend Masato Inuyama, and reading his exquisite English, it suddenly struck me that he was the answer to my communication problems because he could understand me 100%. I asked him if he could communicate with Dr. Tsuchiya and Shiro. Between them both perhaps they could brief Shiro on what was happening. This our stalwart, always calm Masato kindly did, so that everyone who needed to, knew exactly what was happening.
When we got to the hospital, he looked good, even though still asleep. We played the recording twice, and each time, he started to cough when he heard it. We were not sure exactly what his reaction meant, but at least it appeared to be a reaction. His blood pressure seemed low on the monitor, but I'm not a doctor. The nurse explained that because of his open abdomen, they couldn't put the sensors where they normally put them. (Later, when I saw Dr. Feldman on Friday, he told me that Terumi's chest had a lot of fluid in it on Thursday, and also that the new steel mesh covering his abdomen had been broken. He said it was very typical; his wife had pulled her tubes completely out.)
Michael and I tried to tell him when his blood pressure was going up on the monitor, and we told him over and over that he was medically asleep, his brain was OK, and he would make a full recovery. We did tell him that he was being kept asleep for a medical reason, and that even so, he could do some helpful and healing things for himself. The most important thing is to lie quietly and not thrash about. Michael said later, "You know, I'm glad he has the strength to thrash about, but on the other hand . . . it's not good to do that with your tummy open."
I received an email asking about Terumi from our good friend Masato Inuyama, and reading his exquisite English, it suddenly struck me that he was the answer to my communication problems because he could understand me 100%. I asked him if he could communicate with Dr. Tsuchiya and Shiro. Between them both perhaps they could brief Shiro on what was happening. This our stalwart, always calm Masato kindly did, so that everyone who needed to, knew exactly what was happening.
11/05/2008 - This Blog is born
In the early morning Wednesday, the SICU nurse called me between 6 and 7 am, asking if she could give him another unit of blood. I said "yes" and put a message about it on Dr. Feldman's voicemail, asking him to check. At that time, I wasn't aware that he was visiting Terumi every day.
This was the same morning when I spoke to Dr. Tsuchiya about 3 am, and Shiro-san a little later. He wanted more information, probably because he couldn't understand why they were not closing Terumi's incision.
Terumi seemed good when we visited, even though still heavily sedated asleep. He was less swollen, and receiving medication to keep his heart regular and his blood pressure OK. He coughed a little. To me, he seemed a little bit disturbed and frustrated by our visit. He seemed to blow us a kiss, and we saw he was struggling to open his eye. We thought he could hear us, and so we decided to try to do things that were calming when we visited the next time.
During our visit, the nurse gave him some medication, and his blood pressure shot up into the stratosphere. Frankly, so did ours. Actually, we were both scared shitless. She got it settled back down where it ought to be, but we were really shaken up.
I realized that talking and explaining to many people was costing me energy and leaving me too drained to help Terumi. Michael said he would create this blog to let Terumi's friends know what was going on.
This was the same morning when I spoke to Dr. Tsuchiya about 3 am, and Shiro-san a little later. He wanted more information, probably because he couldn't understand why they were not closing Terumi's incision.
Terumi seemed good when we visited, even though still heavily sedated asleep. He was less swollen, and receiving medication to keep his heart regular and his blood pressure OK. He coughed a little. To me, he seemed a little bit disturbed and frustrated by our visit. He seemed to blow us a kiss, and we saw he was struggling to open his eye. We thought he could hear us, and so we decided to try to do things that were calming when we visited the next time.
During our visit, the nurse gave him some medication, and his blood pressure shot up into the stratosphere. Frankly, so did ours. Actually, we were both scared shitless. She got it settled back down where it ought to be, but we were really shaken up.
I realized that talking and explaining to many people was costing me energy and leaving me too drained to help Terumi. Michael said he would create this blog to let Terumi's friends know what was going on.
11/04/2008 - Michael arrives; Second surgery
I wanted to explain to Terumi that he is sedated asleep for a good reason; he is NOT in a coma. He has always feared being in a coma or becoming a vegetable, and made me promise to disconnect life support.
Early Tuesday morning I voted, and then Michael arrived, with a rental car to drive us back and forth to the hospital in Manhasset. I had originally discouraged him from coming, but I'm really glad he did.
We went to the hospital. Terumi's color was good and his vital signs were stabilized with medication. I told the nurse Terumi's feet seemed slightly swollen, and she said, "EVERYTHING is swollen, even his eyes." She explained this is because they are keeping a lot of fluids going through him. We thought our visit disturbed him a little, and we also thought he blew us a kiss, even with the breathing tube in his mouth. The technician told me he was overbreathing the ventilator, meaning he's breathing well on his own, and his blood pressure is good. His heart monitor was very regular and strong when we went in to see him. He's still sleeping. I think they are not going to let him wake up until after the "tummy tuck" is completed.
Dr. Blau explained that -- just like a bowl of apples -- when a lot of fluids were added the organs floated upward. The reason Dr. Blau was explaining this was because they decided to do a second surgery. A small portion of bowel was poking out and the mesh covering Terumi's open abdomen was slightly dislodged. Also,they could try to get rid of some more fluid and clean the wound.
As they wheeled him past Michael and me into surgery, we both noticed that his hands and feet seemed less swollen, and looked almost normal. We yelled "gambatte!" as they wheeled him past. Terumi came out of surgery at the same time Obama was officially elected President, so you can gauge the time. I don't remember the time other than that. Dr. Blau was the surgeon, and he was very pleased with the result. They also replaced the net over his abdomen. After the operation, they kept Terumi paralyzed until about 9 am Wednesday morning.
Thank you all for your prayers. Friends, and people we don't even know all over the world are saying prayers in almost every faith for him. I'm encouraged that they are working! He has no idea how much and how many people love him!!!
My brother Mikie wrote this about 3 am: "It is now 3:00 A.M. and in case you are still up, I just want to assure you that I am deeply engaged in my smudging ritual, again holding tightly to our beloved Mr. T's hands. He is ever so strong and I have faith that he will survive this horrible ordeal."
Early Tuesday morning I voted, and then Michael arrived, with a rental car to drive us back and forth to the hospital in Manhasset. I had originally discouraged him from coming, but I'm really glad he did.
We went to the hospital. Terumi's color was good and his vital signs were stabilized with medication. I told the nurse Terumi's feet seemed slightly swollen, and she said, "EVERYTHING is swollen, even his eyes." She explained this is because they are keeping a lot of fluids going through him. We thought our visit disturbed him a little, and we also thought he blew us a kiss, even with the breathing tube in his mouth. The technician told me he was overbreathing the ventilator, meaning he's breathing well on his own, and his blood pressure is good. His heart monitor was very regular and strong when we went in to see him. He's still sleeping. I think they are not going to let him wake up until after the "tummy tuck" is completed.
Dr. Blau explained that -- just like a bowl of apples -- when a lot of fluids were added the organs floated upward. The reason Dr. Blau was explaining this was because they decided to do a second surgery. A small portion of bowel was poking out and the mesh covering Terumi's open abdomen was slightly dislodged. Also,they could try to get rid of some more fluid and clean the wound.
As they wheeled him past Michael and me into surgery, we both noticed that his hands and feet seemed less swollen, and looked almost normal. We yelled "gambatte!" as they wheeled him past. Terumi came out of surgery at the same time Obama was officially elected President, so you can gauge the time. I don't remember the time other than that. Dr. Blau was the surgeon, and he was very pleased with the result. They also replaced the net over his abdomen. After the operation, they kept Terumi paralyzed until about 9 am Wednesday morning.
Thank you all for your prayers. Friends, and people we don't even know all over the world are saying prayers in almost every faith for him. I'm encouraged that they are working! He has no idea how much and how many people love him!!!
My brother Mikie wrote this about 3 am: "It is now 3:00 A.M. and in case you are still up, I just want to assure you that I am deeply engaged in my smudging ritual, again holding tightly to our beloved Mr. T's hands. He is ever so strong and I have faith that he will survive this horrible ordeal."
Trying to Explain: What IS it?
I tried to call or email as many people as I could, but it became overwhelming to tell the story over and over.
Sometime late Monday or early Tuesday, Shiro-san called, wanting more information. I tried, but my bad Japanese wasn't up to explaining medical terminology, and I had been awake since quite early Sunday morning. Fortunately, I remembered Terumi's classmate, Tsuchiya-san, who is both a doctor and speaks wonderful English. Shiro-san was able to get phone numbers for him, and Dr. Tsuchiya and I were able to talk well enough so that he could explain on my behalf to Shiro-san and the rest of the family exactly what happened.
It wasn't enough information, though, and I promised to get numbers when I went to the hospital next. Everybody who called, even at 3 am, told me to "get some sleep".
What is it??
This article is from the hospital's website and explains Terumi's condition and kind of surgery very well. http://www.northshorelij.com/body.cfm?ID=3903
"The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. Originating from the heart, it is the major artery that delivers blood throughout the body through various branches. In some patients, the wall of this artery may become weak and the artery will get bigger like a balloon. This is what is called an aneurysm. The most common place for this to occur is in the abdomen between the kidney vessels and where the aorta divides into two at the pelvis to give the blood supply to the legs.Unfortunately, there are little or no symptoms from abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), even when they get quite large. They are most often found incidentally on a physical exam or on a test like an ultrasound, MRI or a CAT scan done for another reason. The danger of an AAA is that it may rupture or burst. This event will most often result in death (80-90%). AAA is the 13th leading cause of death in the Unites States. Some famous people have died of this, like Joe DiMaggio, Lucille Ball and Albert Einstein. The risk of rupture increases with increasing size. Once an AAA gets bigger than 5 centimeters in size, the risk of rupture starts rising rapidly. Above 7 centimeters, the risk of rupture is very high (Terumi's was 8cm).
Surgery is performed on AAA to fix it before it ruptures. On the whole, the chances of making through a surgery to fix an AAA that is not ruptured are 93-95%. An AAA is completely cured by surgery. The standard open repair of aortic aneurysm has long been demonstrated to be consistent and durable. Once the aneurysm is repaired, the concern for rupture is alleviated and no routine x-ray follow up is required. The standard operation for aortic aneurysm surgery involves a large incision(about 12-14 inches long) from the bottom of the breastbone to the bottom of the abdomen. At L.I.J., techniques which are less invasive, have been developed. Laparoscopically-assisted aortic aneurysm repairs were first reported by our institution in 1997. Since then we have also developed the minimal incision technique." (End of Article)
Sometime late Monday or early Tuesday, Shiro-san called, wanting more information. I tried, but my bad Japanese wasn't up to explaining medical terminology, and I had been awake since quite early Sunday morning. Fortunately, I remembered Terumi's classmate, Tsuchiya-san, who is both a doctor and speaks wonderful English. Shiro-san was able to get phone numbers for him, and Dr. Tsuchiya and I were able to talk well enough so that he could explain on my behalf to Shiro-san and the rest of the family exactly what happened.
It wasn't enough information, though, and I promised to get numbers when I went to the hospital next. Everybody who called, even at 3 am, told me to "get some sleep".
What is it??
This article is from the hospital's website and explains Terumi's condition and kind of surgery very well. http://www.northshorelij.com/body.cfm?ID=3903
"The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. Originating from the heart, it is the major artery that delivers blood throughout the body through various branches. In some patients, the wall of this artery may become weak and the artery will get bigger like a balloon. This is what is called an aneurysm. The most common place for this to occur is in the abdomen between the kidney vessels and where the aorta divides into two at the pelvis to give the blood supply to the legs.Unfortunately, there are little or no symptoms from abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), even when they get quite large. They are most often found incidentally on a physical exam or on a test like an ultrasound, MRI or a CAT scan done for another reason. The danger of an AAA is that it may rupture or burst. This event will most often result in death (80-90%). AAA is the 13th leading cause of death in the Unites States. Some famous people have died of this, like Joe DiMaggio, Lucille Ball and Albert Einstein. The risk of rupture increases with increasing size. Once an AAA gets bigger than 5 centimeters in size, the risk of rupture starts rising rapidly. Above 7 centimeters, the risk of rupture is very high (Terumi's was 8cm).
Surgery is performed on AAA to fix it before it ruptures. On the whole, the chances of making through a surgery to fix an AAA that is not ruptured are 93-95%. An AAA is completely cured by surgery. The standard open repair of aortic aneurysm has long been demonstrated to be consistent and durable. Once the aneurysm is repaired, the concern for rupture is alleviated and no routine x-ray follow up is required. The standard operation for aortic aneurysm surgery involves a large incision(about 12-14 inches long) from the bottom of the breastbone to the bottom of the abdomen. At L.I.J., techniques which are less invasive, have been developed. Laparoscopically-assisted aortic aneurysm repairs were first reported by our institution in 1997. Since then we have also developed the minimal incision technique." (End of Article)
11/03/2008 - First surgery
When Terumi came into the hospital at North Shore, the aorta was already dissecting (starting to open up) and had an opening of 8 cm, however something continued to hold it closed, and it was leaking, but not ruptured.
The surgeon who was going to operate on him, Dr. Krishnasastry wanted to do the less invasive laparoscopic surgery mentioned in the article at the end of this post, but in order to do that, he required a device called a stent to insert in the blood vessel. Terumi's aorta has a curvature, requiring a non-standard stent, and the surgeon tried, but he could not get the right stent. He told me they would have to do it using the standard method (clamp both ends and sew in a new piece of vein) because of the time element. It is a good thing they made that decision. As Terumi was being taken into surgery (and I don't know exactly at what point), the aneurysm completely ruptured (broke), which means he got an abdomen full of blood.
About 3:00 pm, the surgeon beckoned me out of the waiting room. He told me they were able to save him and repair the vein. Terumi was taken into the SICU (Surgical Intensive Care Unit) where he still is. I waited in the SICU waiting room until he came out of recovery. That was Monday evening. I was finally able to see his face. Dr. Krishnasastry warned me that there were many tubes, but said I shouldn't be afraid of them. He also told me that his abdomen was still open, and they would keep it that way until the enormous amount of blood and fluid from the rupture was drained out. If they closed it up, and he continued to collect fluid in his abdomen, the pressure on the new graft (which is a real vein and not a stent) might be too much.
I saw Dr. Feldman in the hall. He said, "Do you know what the odds are??" We both started crying. Terumi was wrapped up except for his face. At least I saw his face. He looked pale, and sleeping, completely wrapped up, and yes, there were a LOT of tubes.
I found my way home, turned on Terumi's Skype, and tried to let his family know through Chie-san's brother what had happened. I saw Skype light up like a Christmas tree.
I had forgotten to let anyone know Terumi is Catholic before he went into surgery, so I tried to get in touch with the priest at the hospital, and failing that, let the people in SICU know that he is Catholic just in case he should need last rites. The person who answered the phone said, "Oh, I know what you mean, but he's not going to need anything like that." It made me feel a little better.
It's those wee hours of the morning that I dread for him. I called my brother, Mikie, and asked him if he could smudge through the night in case Terumi's spirit didn't know where it was and wandered away. This is what he wrote the first night:
"Yes, I smudged all night long. In my meditative state I felt strongly that I had a grasp on Mr. T's hands. I could see them and feel them. It was an odd feeling that I have never before experienced. It actually felt like his hands were in mine. Anyway, I kept telling him "this is Mikie" and "to hold tightly to my hands." I called upon every entity I could and begged for them to surround him with protection and strength. I know it may all sound like crap to anyone else, but I've been doing this for years and have a firm belief in it. I am happy to hear he made it through the night. Whatever I can do will not stop and if in any way it helps, then it's worth trying." Mikie has smudged all through the night, every night since then.
The surgeon who was going to operate on him, Dr. Krishnasastry wanted to do the less invasive laparoscopic surgery mentioned in the article at the end of this post, but in order to do that, he required a device called a stent to insert in the blood vessel. Terumi's aorta has a curvature, requiring a non-standard stent, and the surgeon tried, but he could not get the right stent. He told me they would have to do it using the standard method (clamp both ends and sew in a new piece of vein) because of the time element. It is a good thing they made that decision. As Terumi was being taken into surgery (and I don't know exactly at what point), the aneurysm completely ruptured (broke), which means he got an abdomen full of blood.
About 3:00 pm, the surgeon beckoned me out of the waiting room. He told me they were able to save him and repair the vein. Terumi was taken into the SICU (Surgical Intensive Care Unit) where he still is. I waited in the SICU waiting room until he came out of recovery. That was Monday evening. I was finally able to see his face. Dr. Krishnasastry warned me that there were many tubes, but said I shouldn't be afraid of them. He also told me that his abdomen was still open, and they would keep it that way until the enormous amount of blood and fluid from the rupture was drained out. If they closed it up, and he continued to collect fluid in his abdomen, the pressure on the new graft (which is a real vein and not a stent) might be too much.
I saw Dr. Feldman in the hall. He said, "Do you know what the odds are??" We both started crying. Terumi was wrapped up except for his face. At least I saw his face. He looked pale, and sleeping, completely wrapped up, and yes, there were a LOT of tubes.
I found my way home, turned on Terumi's Skype, and tried to let his family know through Chie-san's brother what had happened. I saw Skype light up like a Christmas tree.
I had forgotten to let anyone know Terumi is Catholic before he went into surgery, so I tried to get in touch with the priest at the hospital, and failing that, let the people in SICU know that he is Catholic just in case he should need last rites. The person who answered the phone said, "Oh, I know what you mean, but he's not going to need anything like that." It made me feel a little better.
It's those wee hours of the morning that I dread for him. I called my brother, Mikie, and asked him if he could smudge through the night in case Terumi's spirit didn't know where it was and wandered away. This is what he wrote the first night:
"Yes, I smudged all night long. In my meditative state I felt strongly that I had a grasp on Mr. T's hands. I could see them and feel them. It was an odd feeling that I have never before experienced. It actually felt like his hands were in mine. Anyway, I kept telling him "this is Mikie" and "to hold tightly to my hands." I called upon every entity I could and begged for them to surround him with protection and strength. I know it may all sound like crap to anyone else, but I've been doing this for years and have a firm belief in it. I am happy to hear he made it through the night. Whatever I can do will not stop and if in any way it helps, then it's worth trying." Mikie has smudged all through the night, every night since then.
11/03/2008 - Monday morning, in the wee hours
We arrived at the Parkway Hospital Emergency Room in Forest Hills, and the nurses said Terumi's blood pressure was low, so they immediately started an IV to give him fluids. He was sent to X-ray, which didn't show anything. Then he had a CAT scan. Dr. Rahman, the good doctor on duty, was notified by the technician that the aorta running through the abdomen was dissecting (coming apart) and had an opening of about 8 cm in it.
Dr. Rahman said Terumi MUST be moved to another hospital immediately, and tried to get him into Mt. Sinai. For one reason or another (and it sounded like because no ambulance was available) they wouldn't be able to come right away. I could tell by his voice on the phone that he was really frustrated, but he never gave up.
Luckily, Dr. Rahman was able to reach our personal physician, Dr. Feldman, who directed us to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. Dr. Rahman asked me which it would be, and I told him, "Whoever can come first, but now we're going to be in rush hour traffic to Manhattan, so let's go to North Shore." During this time, he was resting rather quietly, except when he had a pain. He felt these pains in the left rear going through to the abdomen.
Finally, the team from North Shore arrived, and we got into the ambulance. "Take it slow and smooth, Billy." and that's just what Billy the driver did. I still felt every bump in the road; each one gave Terumi pain, and also had the potential to cause a rupture. I didn't get the name of the emergency technician, but we are really grateful to both him and to Billy, who drove so carefully. We were all joking, and Terumi was in good spirits.
Dr. Rahman said we would be met at the ER by Dr. Cerrasa, and so he did. Billy told me not to worry . . . if he was in Terumi's shoes, that's the physician he would want. I let Terumi know that. He was still in good spirits. Suddenly there were doctors and technicians everywhere milling around the bed where Terumi was. He was in the center. A pretty technician adjusted oxygen for him and he smiled. I said, "Pretend you're in ER, and you're the star! Hey . . . you are in ER!!" and he laughed. He was at least in good spirits.
While everybody left to consult, he asked for water, which he couldn't have. I put a drop on my finger for him. Sometimes even one drop helps.
They started to wheel him down the hall into OR, and I followed as far as I could. He gave me thumbs up and smiled.
Dr. Rahman said Terumi MUST be moved to another hospital immediately, and tried to get him into Mt. Sinai. For one reason or another (and it sounded like because no ambulance was available) they wouldn't be able to come right away. I could tell by his voice on the phone that he was really frustrated, but he never gave up.
Luckily, Dr. Rahman was able to reach our personal physician, Dr. Feldman, who directed us to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. Dr. Rahman asked me which it would be, and I told him, "Whoever can come first, but now we're going to be in rush hour traffic to Manhattan, so let's go to North Shore." During this time, he was resting rather quietly, except when he had a pain. He felt these pains in the left rear going through to the abdomen.
Finally, the team from North Shore arrived, and we got into the ambulance. "Take it slow and smooth, Billy." and that's just what Billy the driver did. I still felt every bump in the road; each one gave Terumi pain, and also had the potential to cause a rupture. I didn't get the name of the emergency technician, but we are really grateful to both him and to Billy, who drove so carefully. We were all joking, and Terumi was in good spirits.
Dr. Rahman said we would be met at the ER by Dr. Cerrasa, and so he did. Billy told me not to worry . . . if he was in Terumi's shoes, that's the physician he would want. I let Terumi know that. He was still in good spirits. Suddenly there were doctors and technicians everywhere milling around the bed where Terumi was. He was in the center. A pretty technician adjusted oxygen for him and he smiled. I said, "Pretend you're in ER, and you're the star! Hey . . . you are in ER!!" and he laughed. He was at least in good spirits.
While everybody left to consult, he asked for water, which he couldn't have. I put a drop on my finger for him. Sometimes even one drop helps.
They started to wheel him down the hall into OR, and I followed as far as I could. He gave me thumbs up and smiled.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
11/02/2008 - Late Sunday night
How it started? Terumi, who was Skyping as usual into the wee hours of the morning, came out of the den and said, "I have this weird pain." He thought if he went to bed it would go away, but it didn't. I could tell it was very uncomfortable, and so I said, "Let's go" mainly because he still has his appendix. It was somewhere around 2:30 am when I called Barry, our landlord, and he kindly took us to Parkway Hospital. Barry thought it might be a kidney stone.
One LUCKY Guy
That Terumi! Some of you know him as "TJ", some as "Mr. T" and some as Terumi. Whatever you call him, he has got to be one of the luckiest men alive. In order for him to survive, everyone had to make the right decision at exactly the right time, and every situation had to be just right.
- The first thing that happened (or rather didn't happen) was that his weekend business trip to Washington, D.C. was cancelled.
- Terumi was able to feel there was a problem that was way out of the ordinary.
- We made the decision to go to the emergency room more quickly than usual.
- Our landlord, Barry was home for the weekend, and not in his weekend home in Pennsylvania.
- The nurses who first saw him started giving him fluids right away because of low blood pressure.
- The CAT scan operator found the 8 cm opening right away.
- Fortunately, something was holding the vein closed.
- Dr. Rahman, who didn't have the means to get the surgery done at Parkway Hospital, was trying and trying to get Terumi into a big hospital. He was getting frustrated, but was able to reach our doctor - Dr. Herbert Feldman - at 5:30 am.
- Our doctor told him to send us to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, and we were able to do as he directed rather than get stuck in rush hour traffic.
- Billy, the ambulance driver, did his best to avoid any bumps, because every one gave Terumi pain. He was in a good humor nevertheless.
- The receiving MD had been already briefed by Dr. Rahman, and everything was ready for the surgeon, including the CAT scan we brough with us. (Billy, the driver, assured me how good Dr. Cerrasa is.)
- Dr. Krishnasastry, who tried to find the right stent, and could not, assured me he had performed the old fashioned version of the operation before with success. He also cautioned me that the survival rate was 40-60%.
- Terumi was in good spirits, and in very good condition. He gave me the thumbs up as he went into the OR.
- Later, Dr. Krishnasastry told me that the vein ruptured as they were going into surgery, and so, although Terumi got a belly full of blood, and his chances went way down, they were able to save his life !!!!!!!!!
- The thing that really startled me was what Dr. Feldman told me later. Parkway Hospital closed. Terumi was probably one of the last, if not THE last patient to benefit from the emergency room there.
- The first thing that happened (or rather didn't happen) was that his weekend business trip to Washington, D.C. was cancelled.
- Terumi was able to feel there was a problem that was way out of the ordinary.
- We made the decision to go to the emergency room more quickly than usual.
- Our landlord, Barry was home for the weekend, and not in his weekend home in Pennsylvania.
- The nurses who first saw him started giving him fluids right away because of low blood pressure.
- The CAT scan operator found the 8 cm opening right away.
- Fortunately, something was holding the vein closed.
- Dr. Rahman, who didn't have the means to get the surgery done at Parkway Hospital, was trying and trying to get Terumi into a big hospital. He was getting frustrated, but was able to reach our doctor - Dr. Herbert Feldman - at 5:30 am.
- Our doctor told him to send us to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, and we were able to do as he directed rather than get stuck in rush hour traffic.
- Billy, the ambulance driver, did his best to avoid any bumps, because every one gave Terumi pain. He was in a good humor nevertheless.
- The receiving MD had been already briefed by Dr. Rahman, and everything was ready for the surgeon, including the CAT scan we brough with us. (Billy, the driver, assured me how good Dr. Cerrasa is.)
- Dr. Krishnasastry, who tried to find the right stent, and could not, assured me he had performed the old fashioned version of the operation before with success. He also cautioned me that the survival rate was 40-60%.
- Terumi was in good spirits, and in very good condition. He gave me the thumbs up as he went into the OR.
- Later, Dr. Krishnasastry told me that the vein ruptured as they were going into surgery, and so, although Terumi got a belly full of blood, and his chances went way down, they were able to save his life !!!!!!!!!
- The thing that really startled me was what Dr. Feldman told me later. Parkway Hospital closed. Terumi was probably one of the last, if not THE last patient to benefit from the emergency room there.
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