Q & A with Kev

The big question everyone wants to know is: How is your back pain?

It actually feels a little bit better.  I think it feels better simply because I’ve slowed down so much.  

Have you felt any of the effects from the Cyberknife treatments?

No, not yet.  Apparently it takes a couple of weeks to feel the effects.  Hopefully that specific tumor was killed and the bone can begin healing and move off of my nerve.

You went in today for your 2nd cyberknife treatment.  Describe what it’s like for us.

3 words:  Chinese water torture.  Imagine lying on a board with strict instructions not to move while listening to the SAME SONG repeated over and over and over for 60 minutes!

Was it a good song?

All I remember is it was a big band sounding song . .something about “could this be love” . . speaking and singing and then trumpets blaring.  I could sing it for you.

So, that was Friday.  Was today any better?

Yes.  I told Rahmin thank you very much but I brought my own music today, and they let me have a pillow and a blanket.  

Have you started to feel any of the side effects from the chemotherapy?

Well, let me describe my day to you today.  I woke up feeling the way I have been for the past 6 days - a little queasy, a little dizzy, some heartburn that tastes metallic, and definitely a lack of appetite.  For breakfast I just had some juice and half a banana.  So I drove my mom to the airport and went to my cyberknife treatment. 

I need to interject here that not only did I offer to drive Kevin, but so did 3 other friends.  He just said it didn’t make sense because he was going straight to work after the treatment.  (Yes, you read that correctly - “work”)

Back to the story . .

I don’t know what happened during that hour of lying on a board being blasted with radiation, but I didn’t feel right when it was all over.  I was scheduled to work in the ER at noon.  I thought I would buy a little lunch before work to help settle my stomach so I went to this Indian deli that I love.  

I am interjecting again.  I have to say that Indian food would not come to my mind if my stomach was queasy, but Kevin said you just have to go with it - if it sounds good, you go for it.

Back to the story . .

I ordered chicken curry with nahn bread and a mango lassi.  Before I even got my order I found myself in the Indian deli bathroom hurling - hard!!  I went out and sat at the table for a minute to get a grip, and had to run to the bathroom again!!  And all I could think of while I was hurling was,“That must have been a bad banana!” I showed up to work sweaty, panicked, and smelly (sorry, I interjected the last word)  I spent the next 3 hours escaping into the bathroom to hurl!  One time when the bathroom was occupied, I had to run into one of the empty patient’s rooms.  I grabbed the trash can, but the lid flipped open, hit me across the nose, and then closed just in time for me to throw up all over the lid.  By 3:00, the Lord’s tender mercy came and I was able to finish my shift.  

Wow.  That was some bad banana.

Last question.  What do you love the most about your wife?

EVERYTHING!  I wouldn’t change a single thing.

OK, he didn’t really say that.  But that’s because I’m not really interviewing him.  But I promise every detail in this entry is accurate and honest.  You can ask him yourself.  You might find him in the bathroom.