Dave update

Hi everyone,

I am so sorry that I have not posted here in awhile. I’ve only had the energy to post on the FB EC page lately. Dave continues to have post-op complications. Everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong. I think I told everyone about the code 2 weeks ago, and the fact that the colon they fashioned into a new esophagus became septic and needed to come down. Well since then he just still can’t turn the corner. CT scan last week showed pockets of fluid in the chest and so an interventional radiologist put in a drain on Thursday. That went well and we thought we had yet gotten to the source of his problem and felt we were moving forward. Yesterday was actually a good day. Well this morning I walk in at 9:30 and find that he has a 104 fever and the infection is clearly not clearing up, even with heavy duty antibiotics. So at about 3:30 this afternoon, Dr. Yang, his surgeon, inserted a chest tube into where the CT scan done this morning showed all the “gunk” and he suctioned out about 200 cc’s. Roughly equivalent to 2 coke cans full! This was done bedside, not in the OR. Once again, the hope is that he gets better once this has time to drain further. I am beyond tired, so stressed, but being strong for him. Finally he is coming off sedation and is much more aware of everything, which is great BUT he still has the vent so he can’t talk to me. Dave has been phenomenal through all this; ever challenge he’s met. He still is holding up beautifully vis a vis his other organs: heart, lung, kidneys etc still okay. We just have to get over this hump. And to add insult to injury we’ve got the damn hurricane at our door step!