Cancer Never Sleeps

 

  As I sit in an empty hospital room, I have another to add to my list.   "Cancer never sleeps."   Something has been "off" with Chris since this afternoon.    When PT came to work with him in the afternoon he was too tired, so she said she would come back.   I encouraged him to order something to eat so he would have energy.  As he ordered room service he struggled for words and said his room number four times.   I was worried,  so I paged his nurse.   She asked him questions and checked some things and also brought in the doctor who did the same things.   He was slow to answer and struggled for words.  His oxygen was low and his heart rate fast and he seemed a bit clammy.   They said just to watch him.  

      Shift change happened,  his new nurse asked him more questions and he was giving odd answers,  but they just pushed it off and said let's watch.  

      As we tried to go asleep I just couldn't help but think that something was wrong.   He would have moments of lucidity,  but couldn't remember short term things.   He lacked the symptoms of what I know of for a stroke.   

     I felt strongly that I should ask for something and suggested a BMP (basic metabolic panel).   They had given him potassium this morning because he was low, and since he previously had been drinking something to lower it, it seemed like something had shifted.   He said he would ask the doctor.  But insisted they would run labs again in the morning, but that was 7 or so hours away.  

     She came in and did an accessment and I explained my concerns.    She said she would run a blood gas panel, which would have the electrolytes I was worried about.    They drew the labs which came back fairly quickly.    While I googled the results like oxyhemoglobin, HCO3, and hematocrit that were out of normal range I anxiously waited for them them to make the next move.   

      It took longer than I expected,  but they came to whisk him away for a CT scan.  They took him away at 11:18 and I watched the seconds tick away until they finally brought him back about 15 minutes later.  

     He's now peacefully sleeping in bed, which is very unusual for him.  He much prefers to sleep in the recliner.  I am tired and worried, but suppose I will try to do the same.  Not sure what the morning will bring.   

To be continued...