Collapsed Lung

Dear Everyone,

We have had another turn of events. Mom had to be treated in the Emergency Room yesterday for a collapsed lung. She has had trouble getting a deep breath ever since the surgery where they put the port in 2 weeks ago Thursday. When she was in the hospital last Tuesday for her first chemo the hospital nurses were a bit dissatisfied that she could not get her oxygen level above 94% or so. But, they chalked it up to stress. Then after the chemo she got congested in her breathing and antsy and feeling like her skin was crawling and they believed all those symptoms, including the congestion, were a reaction to the steroids they gave her with the chemo.

Yesterday while Mom and I were out shopping I encouraged her to call the nurse about her breathing issues so that there could be some resolution before this next round of chemo. We both thought it would be bad news for her breathing and congestion to get any worse. The doctor had her come in at 3 pm and they walked her around and measured her oxygen and listened to her and were generally unimpressed with the congestion. But, while she was there Dr. Kenyon searched for a chest x-ray that should have been taken after the port surgery to make sure everything was okay and could not find that particular x-ray. Because of this he sent her over to get a chest x-ray at the hospital.

An hour or so later when we were all eating dinner at American Dream Pizza, because doctor's appointments and work schedules had once again limited our ability to cook dinner, Dad got a call from the hospital. They were calling to say that Mom had a collapsed lung and that she needed to go to the ER fast. She was met there by Dr. Kenyon, the cancer doctor, (who held her hand) and the partner of the doctor who did the port surgery. There she had to undergo a very painful procedure where they re inflated her lung by placing a tube in it through her chest. This tube drained the air that was trapped between the lung and the lining of the lung and thus allowed the lung to re inflate. There was a possibility that she would have to have surgery and be admitted to the hospital, but no one wanted this to happen since it would mean added recovery time and a delay in her chemo treatment. Instead she suffered great pains in the ER and was sent home with the tube still inside her and a bunch of pain pills.

Today the tube is still in and draining any last air that is stuck between the lung and the lining of the lung. She is still in pain and needing frequent pain meds. Dr. Kenyon did not know if she would feel like doing the chemo today, but she has decided to do it anyway. It is very important to her to keep on the chemo schedule. I am here in the chemo room with her right now as she is hooked up to the chemo and is sleeping. When this is over she will go get another chest x-ray to make sure that her lung is still inflated and if everything looks good she will be able to get the tube out later today.

Oh, the cause of this is that they punctured the lining of her lung when they put the port in. I guess it happens sometimes, not often, but it does happen.

On another note, I believe that last night after Mom got home from the ER her cheeks and lips finally looked pink and healthy again. I had thought that her grayness had to do with cancer, chemo, etc, but I now believe it was because she wasn't getting enough oxygen. She has been doing the morning walk, watching the kids, going to soccer games, doing chemo all on one lung.

After reading this some of you might feel angry with the Doctors and the medical establishment. I think that our family really cannot afford to be angry. We need these doctors and their expertise. We know they are human and we know that things happen that they cannot control. All the doctors have done everything they can to help Mom through this next hard situation. For this we are thankful.

Love, Emily