Four weeks, four surgeries

Hi everyone,

Once more an update from Peter's mama. The hospital phoned while we were eating breakfast this morning with news that the drainage from the left side of Peter's chest had reached dangerous levels overnight, so the doctors had decided to try another treatment for the chylothorax problem. This was a surgical procedure called pleurodesis. We had been told about this treatment when the chyle leak first occurred. They make an incision between the ribs and irritate the chest wall and surface of the lung with a piece of gauze, of all things, to encourage the surfaces to stick together, sealing up the space in which the fluid was collecting, and thereby cutting off the leak. Sounds unpleasant, doesn't it?

However, Peter could not continue in a stable condition while losing all that fluid. He was wheeled into surgery about 11 a.m. and got through the procedure well. The surgeon was 'cautiously optimistic' that the leak would clear up within several days. They only did it on the left side. The surgeon told us to expect some edema (retention of fluids) and swelling for a while. We were told that this procedure would make Peter sicker in the short term in order to make him well in the long term. Peter is still receiving the same medications--octreotide for the leak, plus two diuretics and morphine when needed. (I think this is all--do you notice the good news, that he isn't on heart medication anymore?)

While in the waiting room I got to talk to another mother whose one and a half week old son was on ECMO and had reached the changing circuits stage. She seemed jittery about it and it somehow helped my own jitters to encourage her about how smoothly it was likely to go. (I talked to her again later--it went fine!)

After the surgery Peter was well enough (or stoned enough) to enjoy a visit from the occupational therapist, who gave him a gentle massage.