Clotbusters II

Lucy’s procedure finished around 1:00. She moved down to the Surgical Specialties unit on third floor, so there goes the view.

They gave her a pain pump and she is already noticing a decrease in pain. This is the first time this week where her pain self-assessment went down.

The clot treatment consists of a “clot busting” drug (alteplase) as well as a blood thinner (heparin). Alteplase is the activator and the procedure is formally named “Tissue Plasminogen Activator” or TPA for short. The hardware looks impressive: seven infusers and a pain pump. Two of the infusers got shut off after a couple of hours, one managing the clot buster and the other administering the blood thinner. We’re hoping this is a good sign. Lucy will have the catheters moved tomorrow and her hematologist will be by on rounds, too.

Lucy changed rooms twice today. She is in a bigger room. The care providers have some elbow room now. She actually had some time to herself tonight. The fast-paced choreography of this morning has slowed to a graceful ballet. Now she’ll get more of a chance to relax.

This does it for tonight. Thank you so much for your good wishes for Lucy!

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