Fact: Total Number of All U.S. Hospitals is 6,093
I had an OK night at the Hospital, sleeping on and off. The alarm went off on my phone, and I knew Mary was up and about at 6 AM.
I got a great picture from Colleen first; she and her family are ready for Halloween.
The gaggle is ready for Tick or Treating!
At 8 AM, the doctor from the radiology department came in and told me about the procedure they were going to go to. He said the process would be in the next couple of hours, and they would put a drain in the area where it’s collecting fluid and remove it.
At 10:30 AM, they came to the room, and we were down to radiology when they strapped me to a bed. I felt like Frankenstein as the ceiling was painted like a stormy sky, and I was waiting for a lightning strike on the wire connected to the bolt in my neck.
After numbing the skin, a small needle will be directed into the fluid using ultrasound, allowing the radiologist to follow the needle’s path and see the liquid in the abdomen. The fluid will then be removed through this small needle, and the doctor will send a sample of the abdominal fluid to the laboratory.
If the fluid comes back or multiple drainage procedures are needed, the doctor can place a small catheter into the abdomen using ultrasound and live X-ray (fluoroscopy) for guidance.
The procedure took about 45 minutes, and at the end of it, they had collected 1200 mL (about a quart) of fluid which they were going to analyze and see what it was. We are hoping there is no urine in the contents!! It was painless.
Mary said I would get better if I walked well; this was taken on our 1,567th lap around the floor.
I love my doctor!!!!
Mary stayed with me all day, and Robin showed up around 4:00 PM. We sat and talked for a while and decided we would send Robin to taco surf for dinner. Robin returned with three bags of goodies.
We had tacos and burritos and salads and beans and rice galore. It was a wonderful dinner. Finally, around 7 PM, I told the girls to go home and visit the doggy, and scout would probably be missing us.
After they departed, I watched the news for a while, and by 830 PM, I had fallen asleep. I finally woke up the following day at around 4 AM and watched the science channel. I am ready to go home!
