Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Well, more good news from Julie. It sounds like a real Thanksgiving is in order for her and hers.

 

Julie said:

 

They're doing chest x-rays everyday and last night, around 10, I got a call that they found something. It's an pneumothorax (a buildup of air in the space between the lung and the chest wall (pleural space). As the amount of air in this space increases, the pressure against the lung causes the lung to collapse. This prevents your lung from expanding properly when you try to breathe in, causing shortness of breath and chest pain - courtesy of Web MD). Normally caused by a chest injury (like broken rib) it can occur spontaneously. They've inserted a tube into the pneumothorax to try to deflate it. Will find out later if it was successful.
He'll need to be taken off the respirator before they remove the pneumothorax tube - otherwise it is very likely that it will come back worse.

Nobody saw this one coming. Needless to say - I didn't sleep much last night.
When speaking with the nurses - they've let me know that it was serious but it's under control and not to worry too much. Still waiting on the lung doctor to do rounds.

And today of all days I need to be at work the full length of the day. My backup is on vacation today.

 

Wendy said:

 

Julie,

We are keeping you in our prayers. Hopefully this is just a small temporary setback, and things will continue on the better progression they were on before.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Julie, just hang in there, and be grateful it was found early.

To all, if you missed my somewhat late post of yesterday, the wife's surgery went well, with nothing unexpected found per the doctor. It was delayed some three hours, apparently due to complications in earlier surgeries, and so I was left waiting until about 6 to find anything out.

She was in a great deal of discomfort when she came into her room, and I left around 8:30 after she in essence told me to go, at which time the nurse was still working with her on her pain meds. She also was having a great deal of lower back pain, which, given the fact that she has back issues, was not a big surprise. At her request, I didn't go by the hospital on my way in today; I'll check in later, but she let me know that all she wanted was to be left alone, and if she wanted anything, she would call. No call, so here I am.

The doctor also indicated that "if everything is working right", she could be released as early as Thanksgiving, although I think Friday is a bit more realistic.

 

Julie said:

 

VT - thanks for the update on the missus! Our hearts and prayers go out to her and to you.


I've been informed that I have a leak that caused 34,000 gallons of usage in the past month.
There is nothing in the house to indicate a leak so a plumber must be called to search the line outside.
MM always deals with this stuff!!!!!! I'm just so overwhelmed right now. I'm keeping it together ok over the health stuff but this is the straw that broke the camel's back!!!!

Can anyone recommend a good plumber that won't cost me an arm and a leg? And won't charge me $200/hour for travel time since I live outside Wichita?

 

lindainks55 said:

 

I've used Larry Simmons, Simmons Plumbing, 262-8894, with satisfaction in his work and prices. I looked in the latest of phones books to land on the porch and don't see him listed. It has been awhile since I needed a plumber so don't know whether he is still in business. Can't hurt to dial the number.

 

lindainks55 said:

 

Julie, Call some businesses in your town or any long-time resident you know to see who they use. Maybe there is a plumber in the community. Good luck! You didn't need this one! Guess that goes without saying.

 

Julie said:

 

Linda, I have a call out to a plumber in my town.

Have a friend who goes to church w/ a plumber in Valley Center - may call him too.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Julie, hope you are successful with the plumber. Sorry, no help here on that.

Spouse update; still in pain, she hasn't been able to get up and try to walk yet, she continues on a liquid diet (yuck), so it looks to me like we'll have Thanksgiving together in the hospital. Wonder what liquified turkey is like....

 

lindainks55 said:

 

When I had this surgery back in 1993 I came from surgery hooked to an intravenous pump and was told when I hurt just push the button. Well, it hurt and I pushed and the morphine was delivered. Guess what, I'm allergic to morphine! Never had it before so everyone was surprised when my hands, feet, face swelled and I got even more miserable. So, they took that away, gave me new medicine to combat the allergic reaction. I stayed in the hospital an extra day to get past the allergic reaction. My sister, an RN btw, who had been with me after surgery was leaving and leaned over the bed to ask if I was asleep because my eyes were closed and furthermore I really looked awful! I answered that she might not look too good either but I couldn't get my eyes open to know for sure. That's when they decided there was a problem.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Linda, allergies are hard to know if one has never been exposed to the foreign substance previously. The hither to unknown allergy issue raised its ugly head in the time before my wife's surgery. She was prescribed a medication to help the anemia problem by controlling the bleeding that was eventually determined to be the cause of the anemia, only to have an adverse reaction similar to that described by Linda. Now, I being an allergy king, recognized the issue immediately and correctly, and got her on the telephone with her doctor ASAP, which resulted in a change in medication. Her reaction, BTW, puzzled the pros, as it apparently is very uncommon.

Speaking of the morphine pump, the thing is (correctly) set to an interval of time before one may receive another dose of the drug; last night, the interval was 15 minutes for the wife, which (IMO) was probably right, but wasn't sufficient for her pain at the time; as I posted earlier, she and her nurse were working on additional relief when I was ordered to leave. Fine thanks for feeding her pieces of ice to relieve the dry mouth and throat resultant from the anesthesia, etc., process if I do say so myself. :-(

 

Danny said:

 

Julie and Vaughn,

Both of you and your families will be in my thoughts and prayers. I thank you both for keeping us informed and if I could do more than the above, this young person would happily do much more.

Julie,

I can't remember who it was my parents use as a plumber, and being that I am working today still, I can't get ahold of them to ask(though I did try). The other issue is, don't have them come out on Thanksgiving it costs alot more than usual.

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Danny, thank you so very much. I know that you would if you could, just as I would (but not as a young person) for anyone I know, whether personally or cyberly (I'm trying to invent new words if anyone is wondering).

Please have a good Thanksgiving with your family, and if possible, take Friday off as well; if anyone asks, tell them I gave you permission. :-)

 

Danny said:

 

Vaughn,

I took Friday off. ;) Actually, we have both Thursday and Friday off, so it worked out well for me. Those silly forced vacations and all. :D

 

Wendy said:

 

Vaughn,

sure wish I could take Friday off. Unfortunately between weddings and sick kids, I am out of vacation time for the year. So not only will I be working Friday, I will habitating the office on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve as well. Ah, the joys of working life!

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving (as well as they can, at least)

 

Vaughn Tolle said:

 

Wendy, if the wife is sprung Thursday (still working on making bail), I will not be at work, otherwise I will be. Should it work like earlier this month, I'll only be here a part of the day. And, with the way my life has gone lately, I'll be here Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, etc., too. Trying to save my "vacation" for May.