The reputation holds true...

Post-Op Day 1 really is a tough day! We are home from the hospital for the rest of the evening and I was able to get a lot more information. This morning they removed the 3 chest tubes from her lungs. These tubes were helping to re-inflate the left lung, because they actually deflate it during surgery, and also it drains blood away from the healing area so that it doesn't pool in the lungs. Chest tubes are very, very uncomfortable because each tube rests between a pair of ribs. The chest x-ray must not have been too pretty because they had to add one chest tube to a different area, just outside the left lung and it immediately drained 300cc, or well over 1 cup of blood that had pooled there. (Sorry if this is too graphic, just skip to the bottom). They aren't fun to have inserted either, but they gave her meds so hopefully she won't recall much of it. At 11am they started working on inserting the PICC line (see note from earlier today). The patient has to lay flat for this procedure which usually takes 45minutes. Laying flat made it really, really hard to breathe. Unfortunately they had trouble with this procedure and it took a good 2 hours. It's in, but it wasn't easy. We'll probably be hearing about how uncomfortable this laying flat process was for quite a long time!
You can imagine that after all of this commotion, she was beat. She didn't sleep well last night but was able to sleep a little bit this afternoon out of pure exhaustion. Finally around 4pm she was able to walk a short distance in the hall. Twelve hours later than they wanted, but they had kept her so busy for hours on end today so I can understand why it took so long to get on her feet.

She is really very exhausted and conversation wears her out. She wasn't allowed visitors today and it's best if any of you locals wanted to visit, to call ahead and check and see if Don is there and ask if visitors are allowed that day. It may be a few days before she feels up to having any company. Of course she doesn't want anyone's feelings hurt and blah,blah,blah. : ) I was able to snap this picture in between her breathing treatment, breathing exercises and whatever they had planned next for her.

Madison doesn't "do" hospitals very well but she did very well tonight. I had one eye on her the whole time though, and so did Beppe! LOL. Madison pointed to the chest tube's red colored drainage and asked me, "what's that?" I said, "well... what do you think it is?" She very carefully replied, with great wishfulness in her voice, "Kooooool-aid?" hahaha. Even Beppe had to laugh at that wishfulness on Madison's part.

Well, I hope you all have a restful rest of your evening. Thanks for reading.