Brad's Surgery Update

I decided to just post his update here for ease and simplicity.

Good news first...no apparent cancer in the initial frozen sample. They also ended up NOT doing an entire lobectomy and just removed the part that was infected. The doctor said he had several areas called "Blebs" in the upper left lobe. He also had an apparent unknown infection, inflammation and his lungs were stuck to his ribs. He had to separate his lungs from his ribs and removed the area that had all the issues. No wonder he has been in so much pain.

I did not get to see him before I had to leave. I left his bag for him and will probably get up there first thing in the morning with the kids. This is such good news. The doctor kept reiterating that he did not know if this would take away his pain. He said he is not about removing his pain. I have to think it will though, even if the doctor is not in the business of pain removal.

We will need to await toxicology to find out the unknown infection. It must be something obscure since tests already done have come back negative. I am betting on something fungal but we will see.

Ironically when I did a search on Blebs I found that it is sometimes linked to Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernias. They can cause a collapse of the lung. Brad and Liviana now share incisions from surgery in the same place. I always knew they had a special bond :).

He will probably be in the hospital for 2 days. They said he can go home once his chest tube comes out.

Thanks everyone for your support! It means the world to us! I am doing a Happy Dance tonight!