Mr. Elliott and his DUMB Chest Tube Update

Yesterday morning his x-ray showed more air in his chest than he has had since surgery. At this point his chest tube had suction shut off and tube pinched shut. The Doctor had him cough a few times and felt that was good. They un-pinched his tube and wanted to do another x-ray that night to see if coughing helped. Last night he had an x-ray but by 9 o'clock he had no word on his status. In order for him to come home he has to get the chest tube taken out. In order to get the chest tube out his x-rays need to show no air in his chest. Then they will shut off the suction on the tube and wait 24 hours for another chest x-ray to reveal still no more air. Then they pinch the tube and have to wait another 24 hours for yet another x-ray to show no air in the chest. At this point (if it ever happens) they take the tube out and he can come home. It took two go around the last time he was in the hospital. Each day he fails it takes him back a step and he has to start this annoying process all over again. You can see this can be VERY frustrating! Last night when he told me that no one had taken the time to check it....you can say I wasn't very happy. I called up the hospital and spoke to the head nurse. (Me speaking up when people don't do there jobs is a quality I am sure Elliott wished I didn't have). Shortly after I got off the phone with her. Elliott called again. While I was talking to him his nurse came in and busted me for tattling. BUT someone finally LOOKED at his x-ray and they turned the suction back on to his chest tube because air was still there. If I didn't speak up it wouldn't have happened until this morning.

This morning all of the air was out of his chest and they shut off the suction. So we are in phase 2 again. Tomorrow if all looks good it will be pinched again and then if it continues to look good THURSDAY should be the day it can come out and can return home.

Hope for the best expect the worst. And they said this would be a 5 days in the hospital venture.....HA HA HA.

In the mean time he is busy busy studying. I took Addy and Ryann up there this morning. Ryann found a bunch of silk flowers that I had in my craft drawer for hair bows and wanted to bring them to her Dad. So now he has some yellow fake flowers to keep him happy. He enjoyed hearing Addy giggle (I am telling you it is the cutest thing). One downside is that he can't shower with all of the tubes that are attached to his body and his hair is looking a little......greasy to say the least. I guess 8 days without a shower will do that to anyone.