We waited out the weekend with no real change to the pleural effusion size. Tyler is back on a couple of his medicines that we had dropped and the fluid is not moving. It is good that there hasn't been more fluid, but not so good that it is not going down. We made the decision yesterday to go ahead with the chest tube.
Dr. Turrentine, Tyler's heart surgeon, will be doing this surgery. Compared to his previous three surgeries and heart cath procedure, this is very minor and shouldn't take too long to complete. They will go in through his right side and place a small tube to get the fluid from under his lung to drain. Since the fluid will come out in the tube, it will be sent to the lab to find out what it is. Once we find out what it is we can discuss our new treatment plan.
I am really hoping that this will be the last procedure and that we can keep the fluid off. He has not been able to eat by mouth all weekend and the NG feedings are becoming difficult because he screams when it goes in. The doctors are fairly sure that this is because he has no room in his body for the stomach to expand with feedings because of the fluid. Yesterday was a difficult day because the only times he stopped screaming were when we were walking around bouncing him. I feel so bad for him. Last night they gave him pain medicines and he slept well. Hopefully this afternoon he will tolerate the feed much better.
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