Fluid in the lining...

Did I mention that mom had a CT scan yesterday? The results from the X-ray were apparently inconclusive so Dr. Vocal ordered the scan. He came in a couple of hours ago and gave us some information about what the results can mean for mom.

Firstly, there is a fluid build-up. However, the scan doesn't show exactly what the cause is.

Possibilities follow;

1) Extra Fluids: Fluids may be draining slower than it would normally take because of excess fluid intake. If this is the case (and we want this to be the case), she will possibly be given Lasix to help remove the fluids and the remainder should drain or absorb eventually.

2) Infection: There's a chance that infection has spread to the lining. If so, he has told us that the response would be to insert a chest tube. He could insert a large chest tube here at Colorado Acute or she would be transferred to Saint Anthonys for a small chest tubes. There are pros and cons to either option. And although he acknowledges that the large tube would be painful, he seems to be leaning towards that one for a recommendation. They would use this tube to drain the fluid causing the infection.

3) Metastasis: It's possible that the cancer has spread to the lining. He is especially concerned about this because after reviewing the scans from Swedish and comparing them to the scan from yesterday, he noted dramatic growth. If this fluid is caused by cancer, it will limit the options available to apply to this root cause. It could be that we would only be able to try to make her as comfortable as possible and continue to use ibuprofen to treat the "cancer" fever (has to do with swelling). We would continue to try to wean her off of the vent and pull her out of her coma-like sedation in order to do as much to help her recover from the stroke and be able to continue on with her therapy as much as she is able to handle.

Right now they are preparing to do a procedure called thoracentesis on her to collect some of the fluid to determine which situation is her's.