Last Evening Post

TJ's vitals are all still good, the BP a bit up in a good way.

Tomorrow morning's posts will probably be a bit delayed, the main poster (Jon) is going to sleep in for awhile. However, if anything of consequence happens I will be up immediately.

Again, thanks to all fo you for your prayers and encouragements, They really mean the world to us. Every one is printed off for the family to read, and for TJ when they take him out of the coma. Before the coma, he was reading them himself as well. It is also amazing for us -- the family -- to see how many people TJ has touched and influenced.

There is yet beauty and hope here. Praise be to God.

Plans For Tomorrow

The doctors have found a small heart murmur. in TJ. At this point they don't think that it is anything too special but aren't taking any chances. It is entirely possible that it is immaterial and has been there most of his life.

An upper endoscopy is being planned for tomorrow. It is a good way to get a look at the heart valves. It is guided downward through the esophagus with a camera into the stomach [edit: 12/22, it doesn't go all the way down to the stomach, just the esophagus], and then essentially a mini-ultrasound looks at the heart.

They are also planning on reinserting the ng tube during the process.

P.S. I just took a peak in the room before we go to dinner, all of his vitals are good except for a low blood pressure (especially systolic), and he really looks like he is sleeping peacefully, to the extent that one can tell from someone who is in a coma...

Non-Update Update

At the suggestion of a relative here is a quick update: TJ is still stable, vitals are all looking good enough to healthy, and he looks like he is resting.

Still no visitors, if you really want to get in please call ahead. If it is a staph infection amost no one will be let in, doctor's orders.

Again, thank you to everyone praying and sending notes, even people we don't know! The prayers are getting bolder, which we need.

Echo

They are in the middle of doing another echo on TJ. I don't think they are expecting to find anything but are doing it just in case.

And, of course, the echo computer runs WindowsXP... (The geek in me always has to notice these things)

Results of CT; Possible New Theory

The CT scan showed lots of fluid around TJ's lung again (a large plural effusion), they put in a chest tube and drained out 300 ccs already (just over one and a quarter cups) and they expect more to be come, to the point where they might put in a second chest tube tomorrow. For anybody wondering, this isn't a fun thing. It's a tube about the size of a thumb going into the chest cavity.

There is a new possible theory, with about as much evidence for it as the current one (the current one being the fungal infection) which is a staph infection that is resistant to antibiotics. Culturing the staph will take less time than culturing the fungus, but we still won't know anything for sure until then.

They did get a good sample for the culture. The method for figuring out if/what it is and what treats it they'll put a sample from TJ in a petri dish with different antibiotics surrounding it. Whichever one it reacts to, if it does at all, is our winner.

Finally a big thanks to everyone who is praying and leaving comments, sending emails, etc. It is very encouraging. When Mary Ann told one of the doctors that we were having a prayer rally of sorts today he said, "Good, that's just what we need."

Edit: Forgot to note two things, the doctor who did the chest tubes thought that there could be up to two liters around his lung. This additional pressure increases the difficulty in breathing, so getting it out is important. There are enough problems inside the lung already.

TJ Is Going In For Another CT Scan

Brief Morning Update

TJ slept well through the night and we were all able to get some sleep ourselves, albeit to varying degrees. All vitals look good right now. You can expect more details sometime this afternoon.