Support Amanda

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 3:36 PM, CDT

written by Amanda Berbig

Toast!!!

The bone marrow biopsy is complete. It took about two hours this time (a bit longer than the last one). It seemed to be easier this time though. For me that was because I'd seen it before and knew what to expect. For Amanda it was because they decided, right outta' the gate, not to mess around with incremental doses of pain meds. She's receiving 5 MCGS (micrograms) of Fentanyl per hour plus 15 MCGS as needed for pain on a regular basis. Before the biopsy today they gave her 50 MCGS, and midway through the procedure another 25 MCGS. That's a lot. She was just shy of nodding off.
When I explained this to Mom earlier, she asked why they don't just go all the way and knock her out. Thanks to today's procedure I actually think I know. When they were about half way through the bone she complained of a sharp pain down her leg, which means that the location wasn't quite right and they were hitting a nerve. If she wasn't conscious to tell them this they would've gotten the wrong stuff and had to do it all over again, prolonging the great looming, perhaps dreaded answers we're waiting for.
Some of her complications are receding, and as such she enjoyed a bit of toast after the biopsy. Wow, solid food, what a luxury! This is perhaps one of the reasons that these things, unfortunate as they are, are part of this great experience we call life. It's helped us appreciate the little things we take for granted, like toast.
We should be getting the results tomorrow, late afternoon/ early evening. Don't everybody blow my phone up, please, I'll be sure to post it when we're ready.
Thank you all again for your thoughts and especially your prayers. We need them now more than ever.
You'll hear from me soon.
-Zach