Visiting University Medical Center

Hi Everyone

Rick was getting more and more short of breath and on the way home from San Diego on Monday, he called his primary care because he thought he might have picked up a virus/cold from the boys (niece Jen, husband Paul, three boys - and of course, Ben) over Thanksgiving. On reflection, he had been gradually becoming more and more short of breath for about 3 weeks, but it was gradual and took awhile to reach a critical level.

His primary care doctor was away and he was sent to someone else who took a chest X-ray and said there was fluid in the area where his left lung had been. Also, he had gained 7 pounds since his last weigh in - while in fact he has been eating very little because he doesn't feel well. A CT scan was ordered. When he got home, we called Jon Daniel, the surgeon who studied with Sugarbaker and is now practicing here (and doing the same surgery Rick had). His assistant, Shawn, e-mailed Jon while I was on the phone and called back a few minutes later saying Jon wanted Rick to be admitted to the hospital for observation. (According to Shawn, he also said "Of course there is fluid on the left side - that's all that is there!" We waited all day (at home) for a bed to be available and checked into University Medical Center at 7:30 p.m. Rick started in a shared room but then they moved him to a private room at the end of the hall...very quiet and nice view of the people coming and going from the front of the hospital.

They started Rick on Lasix right away and by morning he had dropped 8 pounds. (Take a pill, lose 8 pounds - this could be a miracle drug!) He has been put on a strong antibiotic (IV - Zosin). Lots of tests were ordered...A CT with contrast, a sonogram of his right lung, a screening of his thorax, an echo cardiogram, and the ever popular generic chest x-ray. He has a small amount of fluid in his right lung, but the intervention radiologist thought it was too little and too risky to try to draw some of it out. The person who did the thorax screen said there was some fluid - but needs to compare to previous tests to see if it has always been like that or if this is a change.

Dr. Daniel came by last night to review the situation. He has read the report from the PET scan done in Boston and said that while there is still inflammation in the area where the lung surgery was done, there is nothing to indicate that this fluid retention is directly related to meso growth. What is more likely is that consequences of the surgery have caused changes in Rick's body that are making it more difficult to pump off fluid. His heart has shifted significantly and has lost a lot of his ability to pump off fluid. (Ejection rate, ejection click - I keep forgetting the right words - but that rate has dropped from the 60's to the 40's.) Also, Rick's digestive system is sluggish and whenever he is sick it slows even more creating backup that causes pressure on his lung.

The most uplifting thing Jon said was that he has no reason at this time to think this is a result of growth of the meso. He said we have every reason to be cautiously optimistic and that, as much as possible, we need to just move on with life. (Hard to do when you are sitting in a stiff, upright hospital chair resting the computer on a hospital meal cart.)

If Rick continues to improve (his breathing and shedding off the fluid) we should be released tomorrow (Friday). It sounds like the fluid might reaccumulate. We'll just have to wait and see.


Thanks to everyone who has called, visited, e-mailed. We appreciate your support and your prayers.