What a difference a good nights sleep can make. Pat was started on a
new medication "restoril" last night. The plan is to try to help her
with the night verses day routine. Pat was still awake when we left at
10pm last night.
I know that there have been many questions about the chest tube and the
return to the respirator. I will attempt to answer the most recent set
back in Pat's recovery.
Pat has pseudomonas in the lungs which is being suctioned out through
the trachea. The infection in the pleural cavity came on quite suddenly last week.
It may have been building for a while but it didn't show up by listening or even on the x-rays. Pat was showing signs of some breathing distress. They are still unclear as to why this came on so suddenly. When the chest tube was put in 900cc's or 30 ounces of cottage cheese looking puss came out.
The tube remains in the pleural cavity. When there is fluid in the pleural cavity, the lungs are compromised and cannot do their job well. Pat is on a combination of antibiotics "amikacin & ceftazidime" for about another 10 days. The chest tube will remain as well. The chest tube does 2 things: if any infection redevelops thegerms can drain out through the tube, and as the body heals itself the bad stuff continues to drain out. The chest tube continues to drain more fluid, now a thin fluid. Yesterday 80 cc's came out of the chest tube. Pat's lungs sound good, no rattles, no gurgling, etc.
It is impossible to transport Pat to Colorado until the chest tube is removed and they will leave it in until this round of antibiotics are completed.
Pat's temperature has been in what they consider the normal range since
9/8, which is below 100.4 or 38.5. This is very good news. They monitor this and at this point are not concerned.
More info in a while I have to run and get Briggette at the airport.
Betsy
