While You Were Sleeping

Well, Jerid's been asleep (sedated) for about 3 and a half days now. For the past 2 days, very heavily. The most I've gotten out of him are eyelid fluttering and I think that he tried to open them tonight, but couldn't.

So while he's been sleeping, here's what's been going on. Rick and Rose and Annie got here around 2:00 am Wednesday morning. We were back up and at the hospital by about 1:00 Wednesday afternoon. As I said previously, it was a quiet day for Jerid. The rigid bronch was still scheduled for Thursday. The only exciting thing that happened was that Jerid got another pneumothorax in his other lung. So he got another chest tube in this morning.

Today, Thursday, we were at the hospital bright and early for the big day. The bronch was scheduled for the afternoon, but we were told that if anything opened up in the morning they would let us know. So we waited, and waited and waited some more.

Around 3:30, the doctor asked to see us so that he could go over the procedure and get consent. Basically, what they plan on doing is a rigid bronch. The difference between this and the regular is that Jerid will be put under general anesthesia and instead of a softer tube put down his throat, it's actually a metal rod. Once in there, they will put a dye in to see a map of the lungs and see if any air is getting through the blocked part at all. If there is, that's good. They can use wires and tiny tubes and balloons to hopefully get it open. Of course it is done very slowly and gently so as not to cause any damage.

If all works well, and the airway is opened, they will put a stent in it. The stent in the left lung can stay in for a long period of time because it is covered in silicone. Because of the location of the one that will hopefully be put into the right lung, it has to be just the metal so that the air can move through it. Unfortunately, this can only stay in for about 2 weeks before it causes damage. So it will have to keep being replaced until it has trained the airway to stay open.

If you would like more information on the bronchoscopy procedure, follow this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronchoscopy

If you would like more information and pictures of stents, follow this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stent

If this doesn't work, then more than likely, the next best course of action would be to do surgery where they would cut out the part of the airway that is closed. But it won't come to that, will it? This is where the chanting comes in.

The doctors were all wonderful today. Both docs who are doing the procedure sat down with us and explained it very well. One even drew us a picture. (Which Annie tried to help him with.)

In case you were curious about who's taking care of Jerid while he's sleeping they are as follows:

Dr. Iaa, a member of the lung transplant team

Dr. Gillespie, Interventional Pulmonology

Dr. Pocchotino, head lung transplant guy (one of the best in the country) who did Jerid's transplant

Dr. Sterman, who we just met today, and gave me his business card. Here's what is on it:
Associate Professor of Medicine
Associate Professor of Medicine in Surgery
Director, Interventional Pulmonology
Clinical Director, Thoracic Oncology Gene Therapy Program
Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Division Department of Medicine.
WHEW! Now that's a business card.

Dr. Sterman and Gillespie are the ones doing the bronch tomorrow. Plus he has the whole ICU team of doctors and nurses round the clock.

So as you can see, he's in very good hands. Speaking of hands, Jerid's are very swollen with fluid. His whole body is. He's going to be so ticked when he wakes up. On the bright side though, no grapefruits or any large fruits to be found so far.

Anyway, back to today. Around 5:30, the doctor came and told us that the O.R. was backed up and they wouldn't be able to get in until around 9:00. A few minutes later, he came back and said never mind. It would be more like 2:00 am. So they booked Jerid for the first slot in the morning. Providing there are no transplants or guntshot victims, Jerid will get his bronch first thing around 7:30.

I think that's it for now. I am of course exhausted. We all are. Except for Jerid, that is. He's sleeping. We're going to be up early and I hope that it's for good reason. Although I won't be surprised if Jerid's bronch is pushed back, and back and back. I'll let you know.

Thanks and love to you all.