Another Day, Another Outcome

So my mother has seen a doctor on the ward (not her oncologist yet) who says that she will need to have a "permanent" drain fitted.  This is because the fluid is continuing to accumulate despite the insertion of the talc.  If you recall I too was sent home with a drain still fitted following my surgical biopsy in Wythenshawe although, to the best of my recollection, no-one mentioned the word "permanent". But nothing drained from me - even though I had no talc - so the drain was removed after a number of weeks.  Presumably this could happen with Mum in that the fluid dries up of its own accord. We'll have to see.

It does mean though that Mum needs to be transferred to a different hospital to have the permanent drain fitted under general anaesthetic.  I'm not sure how this differs from the usual drain she had fitted before which was done under local.  In fact, I seem to recall that we used the same tube for draining with me in hospital and when I was sent home.  But mine was originally fitted under general anaesthetic because I was having surgery anyway.  Maybe I need to look back in the blog. Indeed I will do that now.

Just checked back and the tubes weren't the same. One was referred to as a "drain" and was attached to a big bottle and the other was called a "pleural catheter". Unfortunately I haven't documented the process for the insertion of the latter - I was too busy being amusing about morphine - and so we're none the wiser.  I think I'll ask to see the doctor this evening so I can understand fully what is going on.  

Dad seems OK which is good and they're both clearly glad that I'm home to help,out - as indeed am I.  

I'm feeling OK and just glad they have series record in the house so that I can keep up with Masterchef because it falls slap bang in the middle of visiting time... :-) That's all for now.  J x

P.S. Have spoken to Denise who is doing fine although is sleeping a fair bit at the moment.  Apparently it's not the prospect of watching cricket that is causing her to drop off.  And it's Port Douglas she's in, not Dawson's Creek. Apparently it's very pretty with a beach.