In Reply to: pleural effusions thread .. posted by Joe on July 12, 2008 at 01:45:38:
this thing has already started, I want to get the blood outta there so I don't have to pay for another VATS/de-cortification . Alsso, the blood there just reminds me that the sarcoma is causing it and I want to believe that the chemo is working, but how can I think that if the sarcoma is ongoing and big enough to be bleeding more into the pleural space?
Everybody knows chemo kills white blood cell counts, which precludes surgery, but I don't expect that to apply to this particular task, i.e. the removal of the blood because it's not surgery er-se it's just making a hole in the body/skin wall to go inside, but there's nothing to do inside, it's just the penetration action that's done. This procedure is so minorly invasive, you know, just a needle or tube ... I just want to get it drained quickly so I can run up stairs again without getting so short of breath.