Afternoon Update

I got most of this information from my Dad earlier this afternoon.

Dr. A came by at 1:00 PM.  Dad wouldn't accept a simple “We have to wait and see” answer.So he got him to be explicit about the decision criteria associated with the tubes.  This is the information from that conversation.

First, the two tubes are in different places, one above and one below the diaphragm. The tubes did what they were supposed to do – a big initial gush followed by a slow trickle.

One of the tubes is in the liver cavity. What we have to watch for on that one is for a greenish fluid – bile. The bile watch will go on for about 3 days.  The bile complication rate is low, 1 in 20. And even if he gets a bile leak it can usually be fixed endoscopically, no need for another slice and dice.

His fever went down to 98.6, but now has returned to 101.1 and  his heart rate had decreased as well.  His heart rate had come down to 95 while resting, but currently is still sitting around 125.  This is my nonprofessional input, but I am sure the stress to his body, pain, fever, etc...is driving his heartrate up.

I thought a little humor might be helpful...this what all the nurses say...