eppie Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Dad went to have his lungs drained but it was a no go. He has pockets of fluid that are thick and "gelling"...they are sendinghim home and that is where I become confused. HE is going in tomorrow for platelets. IT is still unclear to me what they will do. I think dad thinks it will be outpatient CT assisted draining of the pockets. NOt knowing how they will do this bothers me. I hope they use some chemical or drug to thin out the liquid so it will drain or in another scenario they will insert tubes. I guess what bothers me most is that I don;t know if this will be outpatient or if he willl have surgery. If it is outpatient then I willl not fly down to Texas. If it surgery...then i will need to fly down. Also I don't want to scare the other in my family needlessly if I rush home about this. I don't have a "gut" feel he is in imminent danger....but If I sit here at this computer I might go nuts. I have th take comfort in that they are saying he will have something done about it tomorrow. I can only think that is a good thing. I did a search here to see who has been down this road before and TAnn gave good advice...don't go on the internet looking up this stuff.. It is very scary. Not being a doctor or able to understand the terms or know which situations apply to Dad's case...it's crazy. He's had VATS and Talc. He's been drained twice. He's had 2 bouts with pneumonia. His os sat was 92. He's on o2 now. I thought they usually admit folks with o2 at 92. Worried and Scared, Eppie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilliBr1 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 (((Eppie))) Keeping your dad and you in my prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalouDP Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Oh Eppie... I will be praying for your DAD. Hang in there. God Bless Malou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I hope you get some information soon and good news Eppie. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindy0519 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 More prayers for a turn for the better for your Dad very very soon! It's so incredibly hard to watch them go through this and they are so incredibly brave! I am amazed and awed everyday by their strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginnyde Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Ep, hoping today gets some more information for your Dad and that there is an easy solution to make him more comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindi o'h Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Hi Eppie. I had the same thing as your Dad. The effusions that turned to goo after a talc procedure and became loculated. The pulmonologist told me that to rectify the situation, they could go in there and pick pick pick the goo out, but that it was with risks. For me, I had that area radiated, so any knick or gouge wouldn't heal. Also, the tissue is now calcified and won't bounce back...it has lost it's resilence. This is what she told me. I have just learned that this I must learn to live with. I am hoping that his O2 sats come up. I think that 92 is low, but not alarming. (I am not a doc) Hang in there. I think that this is close to a false alarm. Just a gut feeling I have. love, Cindi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerbil runner Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Eppie, I hope your dad gets some relief soon, and you all get some answers. Cindyoh has actual experience, and is here to tell about it so I wouldn't panic yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C. Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Eppie, Hope the news get better today and that your Dad gets some relief. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolhg Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I pray that all works out well for your father. Prayers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Lamb Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Eppie,hoping that everything turns out all right. They always told me that o2 over 90 is ok and under 90 is not ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorja Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Praying all goes well with your dad today. love, jorja Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dchurchi Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Eppie, Saying so many prayers for you. As for the Sat levels. 90 and above is actually pretty good. Alan was finally released from the hospital when his Sat levels stayed at 90 with supplemental o2. Alan just uses it at night now. Again praying for you and your Dad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda661 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Eppie: pulling for your dad to come out the other side of this quickly and with good results. I'm no doc either, but as others have mentioned already, O2 sats of 90 or above seem to be what the doctors look for as acceptable. When mom was having physical therapy, the therapist told me that 90 or above was good and that the "rule" for when they would have mom rest and recover during any activity was if/when her sats dropped to 85 (that was the absolute lowest they would accept seeing). Time to "recovery" (back to 90+ sat) while resting also was important for them to track, but I am not sure the time guidelines on that one. It was when mom's at-rest sats dropped below 90 that landed her in ER to find out what was going on this last Sun. nite -- hope this helps. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eppie Posted March 17, 2006 Author Share Posted March 17, 2006 Dad had the CT assisted version of draining the two pockets of loculated effusion in his pleural. They inserted two drains posteriorally and anteriorally to the mid lobs of his right lung. I spoke to him after he felt it went quickly and he was not in pain. He had the "Twilight" type sleep during the outpatient procedure. HE said he is already feeling much better. He will stay over night until they are satisfied the lungs are sufficently drained. they took 300cc total which isnot much but considering that it was thick liquid...and causing discomfort I guess pathology report will tell us more. So i am feeling better too. I hope my mom can get some rest now. Yesterday was a long day at the hospital waiting arond and eating bad hospital cafeteria food. She stayed up there at the hospital all day today. I wish I could have been there since she was by herself all day and worried. I talked to her for about an hour after school. She sounds like she is ok but I can tell she is geting tired. I am so glad my sister is heading down there this weekend. My sister has a very recreational personality and influence on them. She's single but works very demanding job in Bathesda Md. My brother cut the grass and is feeling better too. We have to be kind to each other these days. Kinder than ever now that evil cancer is threatening our family. Mom and I talked about how sometimes sick people can go into "denial" ( and I know I do this--truthfully I have done this to great detriment beyond rational thought kicking and screaming to the emergency room).. And even though we know we both need to be more aggressive about making him go to the doc when he is complaining of symptoms we know are the fluid...He is the man in the house and we both defer to him. Even though i can be a Bossy Beeyotch...He is my daddy and I do not tell him what to do. I suggest things I ask him if he thinks it is time to do such and such. We acknowledge that taking tylenol-3 and having rib pain at the location of the other drains is most likely the fluid. And maybe we waited too long to address it and that is what made it get so thick. I guess I will never know unless I can get that pulmonologist all alone(which is tempting cuz he is a cutie)I guess I will never know. Much love and thanks to all of you very much beloved people for the support and prayers. I don't know how I would do this without knowing I can process my fears before I express them to the people I love in this family. As my family's "frontman" I have to play some cards close to my chest. I work out many of my worries here and not in front of them. Prayers and healings to everyone on this message board! Eppie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindi o'h Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 good to hear, Eppie. When did your Dad have the vats and talc? If I could get some fluid off these loculated so and so's, I would. But, the pulm. told me that it wasn't possible. How come your dad can get drained and I can't??? thanks, Eppie. Holla! Cindi o'h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethluvswill13 Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Eppie-I'll be praying for you and your dad. I don't have the information your looking for, but Im sure someone will know. Hugs,Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 So it looks like your dad will gt some relief Eppie. Good deal. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pammie Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 So thankful your dad is feeling better Eppie. Sounds like you are a blessing to your mom. She can talk with you some. praying for all of you and thankful your dad is feeling better. pammie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirrell Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 hello, my father had loculated pleural effusions. i did a search and this can be treated with serokinase(sp). it is highly successful treatment. they put this liquid into the lung lining and it breaks up the pockets of blood so it can be more easily drained. i don't have the links, as this was several years ago, but i will tell you, it worked for malignant pleural effusion witha hgh success rate. they got way more than 300cc. please do a search for serokinase and loculated pleural effusions on the web. there is another substance they can use as well. mirrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirrell Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Strepto-kinase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirrell Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 and creatine kinase are used in the treatment of malignant pleural effusions. a search of these treatments brought to your doctor can help to get the treatment as doctors tend to be not forthcoming with the information. mirrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darci Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Eppie, I am hoping that they are able to help your dad with this! Sending prayers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C. Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Eppie, Glad for your father and now with Mirrell name of the medication you will get more answers. Cindi, did you take the names down????? Love to both Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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