The next step in my journey? Surgery. Pleurodesis surgery to be specific. I was connected with the lung surgery department at University of Washington Medical Center and scheduled a pre-op appointment with Dr. Mulligan and his team. The appointment was a couple weeks out from the date I had gotten the drain tube inserted. At…
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Chapter 5 – The Complication
I was released from the hospital around 5pm from my 11am surgery appointment to insert the chyle drain tube. I get home and a few days pass as I am adjusting to my new situation of having the drain tube. The drain tube was uncomfortable in my ribcage area and right side. I remember that…
Chapter 4 – The Tube
I left off my story discussing the chyle that I had drained twice now in my right lung. I went to the appointment with my pulmonologist on Tuesday April 17th, 2018. I was not feeling amazing. My blood oxygen level after a 6 minute walk test was 90%. To give everyone a basis for comparison, in…
Chapter 3 – Diagnosis
After the fluid was drained I could definitely breath a lot better. It was light a weight had been lifted off my chest. Like a 20 pound cat had been sitting on my chest this whole time and it had finally jumped off. My spirits were lifted because I was feeling better but I could…
Chapter 2 – Investigation
I happened to be at work when I got the call from the nurse regarding the fluid in my right lung cavity. The lung cavity is the space between the lungs and the chest wall. (Side note: I am a geologist and work at an environmental consulting firm with amazing people who are like a…
Chapter 1 – The Symptoms
I have never been a very good runner. I was never very fast, not very good at sprinting, and was not winning any races. But I still liked to do it. I played sports growing up, mainly basketball through high school and enjoyed myself. I would go for runs in my 20s and would feel…