Janie Update 12-29-09

Thought you'd all like to know that Janie is doing ok. We went in at 10:30 this morning and were driving away by 11:20! She had a brief wait and then they took her in to a little outpatient surgery room. They numbed her up and made the little cut and slid that little tube into the area where the air 'bubble' was. They knew they were in the right spot because they put the other end of the tube into a dish of water and it made air bubbles...meaning that the unwanted air was escaping.

They then attached a little gizmo called a Heimlich (of 'The Heimlich Maneuver' fame) valve which allows air and fluids to only flow in one direction: out. I guess most of the air was supposed to be gone by the time she got to x-ray; they wanted pictures so they could track the progress of the re-inflation of the lung. The real goal is
to get the lung to stick again to the pleura, the lining of the chest cavity.

So she still has this thing hanging out of her chest and it will be removed, Lord willing, on Thursday.

We are praying against infection too and we would also ask you to pray for both lungs: we don't want anything to happen to her other lung!

She's not bed-ridden, though it does hurt quite a bit. She's sitting up, fully dressed, and not acting like a patient very much, though the doctor said no exercise or exertion.We're not out of the woods yet, though, so please keep on praying for Janie.

We'll try to keep updates coming...thank you all again for your care and concern and especially your prayers. It means more than you can know.

Love,
Chris

"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
   for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
   my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
   my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
   pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us."  Psalm 62:5-8