August 20, 2012

No surgery

Whether it sounds a bit odd or more than that, disturbing, I work with my intuition and this in extension, brings with it premonitions in the form of visions. I've been able to forsee Segev's major illnesses this way, his hospitalizations but also to prevent situations from developing into full blown illness. It is not a full proof system and there is room for interpretation that questions if some cases are not self-fullfilling. Case in point is this operation, the tracheotomy, which i did not have any 'feeling' about but rather chose the timing purely from a calculated point of view. He needs this surgery, but after the month on oxygen, the trying and above all disconcerting nights where his left lung was often closed enough to drop his saturation through the floor no matter how much oxygen supplementation he received, it was cold calculation which said, 'now is the time'.

But then came the x-ray which I had decided to do prior to the surgery. The surgeon actually asked in his letter to provide a chest x-ray but he failed to mark this on the surgery invitation which lists required paper and bloodwork. In any case the physician at the imaging center wrote that there is nothing remarkable about the Segev's x-ray. I had a good look at it and saw the raised diaphragm pushing into the lungs and heart, allowing the intestines to move upward. Many of Segev's clinical signs can be explained by this; from his dyspnoea and low saturation to the need for constant venting of his stomach, the discomfort he experiences sitting in his chair, paroxysmal episodes of pain and resultant screaming, the irregular heart rate, the bradycardia and especially the 'closing' of the left lung which can even be seen to some extent in that his left chest barely moves during breathing difficulties. Further more it speaks towards his vastly expanded kyphosis (hunchback) which nearly doubled in the last six months.

The cause of this can be phrenic nerve damage leading to one sided paralysis of the diaphragm. Herniation is also a possibility though much less likely since the line of the diaphragm looks clear and unbroken in the x-ray.

So if all these problems are at the very least moderately influenced by this condition, it only stands to reason that this be investigated further and corrected if possible before proceeding with the tracheotomy.

Eventually that surgery will take place, but not before we can determine if the diaphragm issue will resolve and thus lighten Segev's present state of health. 

5 comments:

  1. **sigh** You are both in my thoughts.
    Claire

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  2. Whoa - that was an eleventh hour change! Meant to be by the sound of it. Definately grounds for more exploration with the possibility of a easier outcome. Your insight into the x-ray was amazing. You must feel relieved and pleased that there is a chance to rectify this problem in a less intrusive manner. It may not solve the dilema but by following this path you may alleviate more intervention which would be so fantastic.

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  3. I am sure this was a difficult decision and process, but it is rare that the heart of a father is wrong. Trusting your vision and intuition is a rare gift that one accepts...glad you're there!

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  4. I agree with Phil. I hope Segev's diaphragm issue will resolve quickly.

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  5. Im almost want to agree. I just wish him a speedy recovery.

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