Gamma Knife Treatment

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, I had a new experience - gamma knife treatment of a small brain tumor.  If you'd like technical details, you can read about it and view a video on their website...   Mid-Michigan Hospital's Gamma Knife   As a patient and caregiver, George and I were treated extremely well, with much compassion and attention from the staff there, especially the nurses.  On Monday, we had an orientation with "Jennifer from Gamma Knife" - which is how the nurse identified herself when she called us.  She was very thorough in her explanations and instructions.  We also met the radiation oncologist, who was also very informative and genuinely concerned.  We watched a video about the procedure and asked questions.  In the video, we saw the head frame being attached with a screwdriver (yes, it is screwed into your head in 4 places).  Then, we toured the treatment area that included two private waiting rooms, bathroom, MRI room and treatment room.  They put us up in a local motel for the night.  

On Tuesday, we arrived at the Gamma Knife center at 6:45am (middle of the night for me).  We met the neurosurgeon and he pointed out how this was much easier than open brain surgery - we had to agree with that.  I was given Versed and Fentanol (both great drugs for this kind of thing).  While they were 'installing' the head frame, the only time I felt anything was when they touched my tri-geminal nerve in my forehead [while screwing on the frame] and I said "OUCH!  That really hurts behind my eye, my nose and in my jaw - like a trigger point." I got another shot in my temple to help with that pain (oops, they hit a nerve, but I didn't really care too much).  I don't remember feeling any more pain.  Then, they put a big plastic bubble over my head frame and did an MRI with 1 ml. slices.  I have a (fortunately) foggy memory of the MRI sounds.  Then, I went to the private waiting room with George while analysis was being completed.  He was drinking his coffee and watching Sportscenter - just like at home.  That's another foggy memory, but I do remember that, without the plastic bubble, the head frame was pretty lightweight.  They gave George a coupon for free food in the cafeteria, which he brought back to our waiting room.  I think I ate a chocolate chip muffin that was quite tasty.

After analysis, the dr. came in and said that there was only one tumor there (yay!) and they were preparing for the treatment.  Once in the treatment room, they put a different plastic bubble over my head frame and two people held onto either side of 'the frame' to lower my head into the frame-holder.  I complained of pain in my neck and they adjusted the table in increments until the pain was gone.  The nurse then added a quickly-inflatable pillow to support my neck and I was totally comfortable in the contraption.  As I could see I was about to go inside of a tube, I closed my eyes.  I ALWAYS CLOSE MY EYES when they start sending my body inside of a tube.  I visualized a beautiful rainbow of rays penetrating my head to heal me.  Then, I fell asleep.  The dr. was surprised that I was sleeping on the table for this 21-minute treatment.  What else can a person do when their eyes are closed and they have good drugs and can't move?  

After the treatment, the frame was quickly removed and I was returned to the waiting room for observation.  I needed a little more pain medication and Jennifer wrapped a white bandage around my head, along with 2 bandaids on my forehead.  George said it looked like I'd had a horn-ectomy.  He noticed some blood on the bandage, so Jennifer added a red bandage on top of the white one.  I saw my reflection in a window as we were leaving and I looked pretty cool with my 2-toned head bandage with brillo-pad hair sticking out.  I slept all the way home (3.5-hour drive), except for brief moments when I shared a sandwich with George and took several gulps of coffee, but immediately fell back asleep again.  I had virtually no pain afterward and taught yoga class yesterday.  I was able to resume normal activities the day after the treatment.  Pretty impressive, I think.  They took really good care of us there.

I am feeling SOOOOO good with no chemo in my body right now.  I haven't felt this good in over a year, so I am really enjoying it.  It is a beautiful day and I'm seeing diamonds on the water of Lake Huron this morning.  Natural beauty is such a joy in my life!  

Good luck to Cindy, RN, who is going to start working in her own gamma knife dept. soon.  Have a wonderful day.  With love,

Magnolia