My 2 sisters and parents were all checked in at 7 but waited nearly 2 hours before the procedure began. During the holding time, I learned where the warm blankey machine was located and got enough to sufficiently mummify both parents. Those toasty blankets are the best!
We'd been told the procedure would last about an hour. Unfortunately, Dad's lung collapsed almost instantly. The doc (with whom I am impressed) came to tell us the first challenge and then returned to attempt the biopsy. Within minutes he was back out and said the pneumothorax (as in size of the collapse) had increased during the short time he'd been talking to us and was now too large to risk continuing. He said he'd not seen such a significant “pneumo” before. I quipped "wow, a dad's a leader, but just the opposite direction." He chuckled. The doc said dad wasn't in any pain and was resting fine but that he didn't want to proceed with the biopsy. He had though that he could penetrate the fibrous membrane between the lobes and go at it from another angle but the size of the leak was so significant that it would be dangerous.
So for now, there will be no biopsy. Dad's being suctioned and responding well to the treatment. His lung is expanded and hopefully won't collapse again. He got his request and had the large chest inserted from the very start. Funny how you learn things from a crisis and an early lung collapse taught us to always insist on the large chest tube. The drainage was going well with the little red bubbles slowly working their way through the tube to the collection unit for measurement.
Dealing with Mom again is another story. Her remarks are often off-putting and frustrating. But as my dear husband reminded me, she can't see the situation enough to assess anything and her brain really doesn't work like it used to. Everyone's emotions are raw and we're tired so of course things get taken out of context.
As much as my writing this might lead one to believe we don't get along, nothing could be further from the truth. My sisters and I work so well together keeping each other in check. Steve was giving should massages in the waiting room (to our family only) and we enjoyed snuggling in warm blankets and drinking coffee.
Tonight Dad will stay in the hospital and likely he will stay tomorrow night as well. I'm excited to hear his hospitalist is the new guy from Peru. And I'm more excited to know that his pulmonologist who we've grown fond of is on call tomorrow should anything go awry.
In the meantime, I have work to do. Gaby and Derek will arrive from OKC tonight. Their Taiwanese friend is coming as well. So I must rush home to strip beds and get the dressing going. I use a recipe that belonged to Mama Hall and it's a crowd favorite. We expect around 40 at our house tomorrow evening. As exhausted as I am, it will be refreshing to have family around us again.
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