Friday is Bronchday

because nothing starts the weekend off right like a 6am bronchoscopy, Friday is Bronchday.

we -- mom and I -- got to the hospital at 6am on the dot, sans morning coffee (fasting for bronch). well, mom had coffee. i had pills. through admission and gowned by 6.30a.

then we talked to the interventional pulmonologist, Dr G, and his fellow, whose name ive already forgotten, so we'll call him Dr NA. this bronch was to be a lot more involved than the last one, with the possibility of inserting a stent (if the dehiscence hasnt improved) and the possibility of having to do a rigid bronch (which involves inserting a stiff metal tube down the throat, into the airways, through which the Dr can use things like forceps and cameras and various tools that one should not normally have shoved down ones throat). either way, Dr G informed us that this was very likely the first of a long series of bronchs (news to me) over the course of the next few weeks or months until everything looked copacetic, at which time i could go back to having just the regularly scheduled bronchs through the transplant clinic (which is where the first one was, two weeks ago). since they were playing the whole procedure by ear, depending on what they found when they peeked inside, it could take an hour or 4 hours or anything in between.

and with that lovely news, i was rolled into the OR and pleasantly shoved into a drug-induced nap.

did i forget to mention the baby-faced medical student who got to hold the oxygen mask? i hope he didnt get to do anything else while i was passed out, because honestly he couldnt have been over 13. i refrained from all doogie howser jokes, though. arent you proud?

i spoke to Dr NA a couple times after they woke me up (procedure < 60min.) heres the deal: they put in a temporary stent; rigid bronch was not necessary; there was very little cleaning inside the lungs necessary.

the idea behind the stent is to promote the formation of tissue in the left anastomosis in order to solidify and widen the airway. in 2 weeks, theyll go in again, and take out this stent and replace it with another to further widen the airway. this will be done ad nauseum every two weeks until they are satisfied with the state of the airway. as far as i can tell, it might be done 2x or it might be done 20x. all depends on the healing.

as for the cleaning out, the fact that not much was necessary is the good news for the day. very little pseudomonas colonization and mucus clogging. im hoping this means the ivs can be stopped next week, but Dr NA could provide no guidance on this.

now i am home, finishing cup of cafe dos. no plans this weekend. it might be too hot to go outside, ever. we shall see.