More of the Same

We talked with the senior surgery fellow last night regarding Lucy's condition. Of course we are still waiting on results from the testing of the fluid that was drained from her abdomen (so much waiting!). He maintains that it looks like basic ascites fluid, but to be positively sure, we have to let it continue to drain, feed her, and keep and eye on it while we are waiting for the results of the testing. At least 4 to 5 days. Ugh.

As for Lucy, she was in a lot of pain last night. Tylenol and Motrin were not doing the trick, so they gave her a single dose of morphine. The drain did significantly reduce the size of her belly, and I am sure provided some relief. However, she is still distended to an extent, and actually seems to have become a little more so since the procedure. Radiology brought the x-ray fishtank (the portable ones are all decorated) up and did an abdominal x-ray, which showed that she needed an irrigation. Though the irrigation was successful, and got about 215 cc's of poop and some gas out of her, it did nothing to help with her belly distention. We ordered just about everything off of the late-night hospital menu (they call it room service and this just makes me laugh), but she was not interested in eating at all. She did drink about half of a school lunch-sized carton of milk, though - progress!

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The plan today is for us to give her another irrigation this morning and then she will get another ultrasound to see where this accumulating fluid is. We'll let you know the result.

Please keep Lucy in your prayers.

Love,
Ed, Mel and Lucy