The Forgettable Stomach Scoping

First of all, thank you all for the thoughts and prayers for Willie's scope today.  We have learned, yet again, that the fear of something is almost always worse than the reality. 

The day started early with a 5:45 AM alarm ring.  Willie already warned me last night that he was going to be grumpy today so I was prepared for the groans and grumbles.  We arrived at Stanford hospital at 7:05 and took a side corridor, down a rusty looking escalator and into the basement of the building.  It was creepy at best, but I was pleasantly surprised when the escalator dropped us in front of a glass set of doors with a beautiful waiting area behind it.  A large sign on the back wall read "Stanford Endoscopy" and the lobby was decorated in classic Stanford fashion with marble counter tops and trendy wall colors.  The chairs were plush and comfortable and we took a seat while they checked him in.  A large computer monitor on the wall listed a series of numbers next to which a status was posted.  The receptionist handed me a card with Willie's reference number on it, then a nurse took him back. 
I said goodbye and reminded him that it would be quick and easy.  I myself have had a stomach scope years ago and it was nothing short of uneventful.  I told Willie yesterday that when I got the scope done it was so quick and easy that when I woke up from the anesthetic I asked the doctor when he was going to start!  He smiled at that, but I could tell he was anxious about the procedure and it set me on edge.
I watched his number on the monitor as it changed from "Patient in building" to "Patient in Prep" then "Patient in OR."
The fact that they had him listed in the operating room was unsettling to me.  Why couldn't they list him as "in procedure" or "in process."?
I watched an older couple across the aisle as they tried to busy themselves with books and magazines.  The man would read for 30 seconds then intently watch the status board for 2 minutes until his wife would smack him on the arm and tell him to relax.  I didn't even pretend to be interested in anything but the status board.  I sat and stared at it like I was watching an exciting action film. 
The status above Willie's number changed to "in recovery" and the older gentlemen shot out of his chair and clapped his hands.
"She's in recovery!" He announced to his wife  and everyone in the waiting room.  She pulled him back into his chair scolded him for being so loud..  He looked around the room with a smile so big, you would have thought he had won the lottery.  I looked over at him and we made eye contact and smiled. 
I knew how he felt.
At 8:30 Willie's status changed to "in recovery" and I sighed in relief.  I wanted to jump up and clap like my older friend, but I'm sure his wife would have scolded me too.
A few minutes later a nurse called me into the back where Willie was recovering.  It was set up identically to the surgery center comprised of a long hall of compartments holding beds with groggy patients trying to wake up from surgery.  Willie was in the first room, fast asleep.
"He's really sleepy and has been trying to come out of the anesthesia for 15 minutes." The nurse said as she took his vital signs "I have to watch him for 15 minutes more then you guys can go."
I sat next to Willie and rubbed his arm.  His eyes fluttered as he tried to open them, but they never made it all the way open.
"Hey baby." He mumbled through his mask.  "I don't remember anything."
I smiled at his hello. 
"That must mean it went well." I said, but he was already asleep again.
The nurse returned in 15 minutes as promised and took another set of vital signs.  Everything was normal, except the fact that he was sleeping like a bear in hibernation.
"Willie." The nurse practically yelled at him as she rubbed his shoulder "You need to wake up now and show me that you are stable to sit and stand."
His eyes fluttered open again and he looked at the nurse and me with surprise, as if we had just arrived.
"Can I get your some water?" She asked and he nodded.
She went to get him water and he drifted off to sleep again.
I could see this was not going to be an easy venture to wake him up.
She returned with the water and positioned the straw in his mouth then commanded him to drink.  He cracked his eyes a fraction as he sipped.  She then placed the cup in his hand and informed us that the doctor who did the scope would be coming by to see us then we could go.
Willie nodded in reply then began snoring 10 seconds later.  He nearly dropped the cup of water and I hurried to grab it.  My quick motions woke him up.
"Hey baby." He said, this time his mask was off. "I don't remember anything."
I laughed at the repeat conversation, but responded the same as I had before.
"That must mean it went well." I said.
"I guess so." He said.  "I'm sleepy."
He closed his eyes and fell asleep again to prove it.
A few minute later a tall, Eastern Indian man in his mid 50's pushed back the curtain.  He was wearing a classy blue shirt with a power-colored red tie and khaki pants.  I found it hard to believe that he had just performed a stomach scope in that outfit, but he seemed to be a seasoned doctor who could do stomach scopes in his sleep. 
Willie opened his eyes and looked at him as the dr introduced himself.
"I have good news for you." The dr said, flashing a brilliant white smile, "I didn't see anything in your gut that screams GVHD.  There were no areas of redness or inflammation so that is very good thing.  There were particles of food left in your stomach which is caused by what I like to call a 'lazy stomach.'"
He looked at Willie as he said this and watched as he sleepily nodded in reply.
"There should not have been any food left in your stomach so that tells me you are digesting slowly." He continued. "This can easily cause nausea and vomiting and it can be from any one of the medications you are taking.  I will refer you to your oncologist to discuss medication, but I don't see any cause for concern.  We will still run the lab reports on the tissue samples and let you know what we find."
I had a million questions to ask him, but he was obviously in a hurry so we accepted the good news with thanks and he left.
I heaved a huge sigh of relief and looked over at Willie who was sleeping again. 
That's when the tears came. 
I was simply and utterly, overwhelmingly, grateful.
A few minutes later Willie opened his eyes and looked at me.
"Hey baby."  He said as it if was the first time seeing me all day. "I don't remember anything."
I laughed out loud this time.
"That's what I've heard." I replied "Do you remember the doctor coming in?" I asked.
He looked confused. "Did he come by?"
"You were looking at him the whole time!" I informed him.
He looked at the ceiling as if trying to find the memory.  "I don't remember anything."
"So I've heard." I said, then filled him in on the good news from the doctor.
He smiled then closed his eyes again and was snoring a few seconds later.
The nurse returned about 10 minutes later and began removing the heart monitor and blood pressure cuff.  She kept coaxing Willie to sit up, but it was obvious he had no intention of going anywhere.
"I'll come back in 10 minutes." She said after several failed attempts "If you're not up then, I'm going to have to make you sit up."
Her threat may have been valid if he had heard it, but he was fast asleep.  I didn't want to be on the nurses bad side so I began prodding Willie and moving his arms and legs.  It was like trying to get a sleeping infant to walk. 
The task was impossible.
Just before the nurse returned, as threatened, he opened his eyes and focused on me.
"Hey baby." He said.  I was tempted to beat him to the punchline, but he got there before me.  "I don't remember anything."
He looked confused when I laughed at his statement, but I couldn't keep it in.
"We've got to get going." I urged.  "Let's go home and you can sleep there."
He smiled at that idea and let me help him sit up on the bed and get dressed.  I went to get the car and a transport person wheeled him outside.  He slept the entire ride home and when arrived at the apartment he was snoring again.  I shook him awake and helped him walk inside which looked something like helping a drunk man walk a plank.  He insisted on putting one foot in front of the other and walking heel to toe all the way inside.
He slept for 2 hours after we got home then woke up hungry.  I helped him sit at the bar and eat half a sandwich and a few bites of soup.  He was still really groggy, but needed to take his pills so I set them out for him.  There is one pill that makes him gag nearly every time he swallows it and today it got the better of him.  I heard him gag and turned from the sink just in time to see him projective vomit all over the counter.
There are the fun moments....!
He crawled back in bed after vomiting and is still sleeping now.  They had warned us that the anesthetic could make him nauseous today so he has every excuse to throw up all day if he wants.
But I hope he doesn't!
Here's to a better night and a good conversation with Lenny tomorrow.  I'm hoping this new info on his gut will help the oncology team make some decisions with his meds that will stop the nausea and allow him to eat.

Thanks again for the prayers!  We'll keep you posted!