Fifth morning post-op

Muriel continues to improve.  Even more alert this morning, and starting to act like herself again, but still tired.  Turned pages in a book I was reading to her - first time since before the surgery.  Got her to laugh for a brief second doing peek-a-boo.  She is napping now - has been for about an hour, and seems comfortable.

Lab was run last night against the chest tube output to see if Chyle was present.  The results, frustratingly, are inconclusive.  It was decided that she would go on a low fat diet for the next six (?) weeks, which would be the normal course of action had Chyle been detected with certainty.  Because of her egg allergy Muriel tends to eat a low-fat diet anyway, so this won't be any big change.  It does mean that the chest tubes may stay in for another day or two as they continue to monitor output.  If they were to pull them now there is a high chance that she would need to have them inserted again, which clearly we would like to avoid.

The diuretics were cut back last night, and one will go away completely today.  She continues to get Sodium, Potassium, and Calcium supplements.  It is expected that the need for these will go down as the diuretics are DCed.  I've come to understand that the whole chemistry tuning operation is reactive - every body must react slightly differently to the methods used for recovery and they can't really predict what she might need, so it is a constant battle of measure and counter-measure.  That said the staff her works like a finely oiled machine and reactions are quick and effective.

Not much else to report today.  Not really any pictures to post that would look any different - much the same equipment and much the same connections to her little body.  She did lose the blood pressure cuff yesterday and a few of the tubes in the giant tangle were culled out from use in the operating room.  Don't expect any visitors, and Megan and I have been tag teaming this morning.  I slept in, and now she is napping.  We are getting to the limit of lack of sleep and need this catch up today I think.

Will post an update later tonight.