Jerard's cultures show that the infection has spread to some of the cerebral fluid in the ventricles (but not the cyst) as well as his urinary tract. So, the infection is systemic. The doctors have prescribed two stronger anti-biotics for this infection. They are trying to get on top of this infection before it develops into full blown meningitus.
Jerard was restless and slept uneasily during his first night after surgery due to pain. They have been giving him pain medication which helps a lot. He is eating well and he looks good. He had a fever during the night of 38.5 degrees Celcius (101.3 Fahrenheit).
He was running a fever before surgery due to the infection and that was the whole reason for the surgery, so our prayer is that the fever will pass as the anti-biotics take effect.
Beth just came back from the operating room where the doctors talked with her immediately after the surgery. The surgery went well. The first shunt was removed and the infection appears to have been limited to the outside of the skull around the shunt. They are running cultures to determine if there is any infection in the cerebral fluid. It will take a couple days for those results to come back.
In the meantime, the doctors are hoping that the remaining shunt will be able to drain the cerebral fluid for all of the ventricles. Whether that is the case or not should be evident within about 4 days or so. If the remaining shunt does not properly drain all of the ventricles then another operation will be required to install another shunt.
Please pray:
The surgery is scheduled for 1 PM on Thursday (tomorrow). We are still waiting whether the doctor will order blood to be on hand. If/when the order comes, I need to go to the Red Cross tonight and try to obtain the blood. If things go well, I will walk out the door with blood in a bag on ice which I will then take to the hospital. If they do not have it, we will need to try to find a AB+ donor, which is relatively rare here in the Philippines, and then I will walk out the door with the blood.
This is something that I still have trouble getting used to as compared to the US -- driving around the city in a taxi transporting blood to the hospital for an operation.
Jerard was readmitted into the hospital again this afternoon. The first shunt is infected and needs to be replaced. Two neurosurgeons and other doctors are in agreement with this course of action. We hope to find out later today when the surgery will be -- either tomorrow or Friday. This will be Jerard's fourth hospitalization and fourth surgery.
Correction: The surgery was originally going to consist of removing the infected shunt and replacing it with a new one on the other side of his head all in one operation. But both neurosurgeons decided that the better course of action would be to remove the infected shunt in the first operation. They will decide at that time whether to install an external drain from his head to a bag or just to drain a lot of fluid at that time or to just leave it. Then after the infection is cleared up (hopefully in 4 or 5 days) another operation would be required to add the new shut on the other side of the head. So, it looks like Jerard will get two more operations during this hospital stay if things go well.
Beth is with Jerard at the hospital this afternoon and she will spend the night there tonight. I will be at home with the other children.
As always, your prayers are much appreciated.
