post pneumonia

[pepsimom]

My 12 year old daughter was diagnosed with swine flu back in October...doc sent her home and said she would be fine even though I insisted there was more to it...her breathing was shallow and her chest hurt, 3 days later she ended up in icu...diagnosed with septic shock due to bilateral pneumonia with complications of a right sided pleural effusion. We almost lost her but luckily the doctor drained enough fluid to help her breath on her own again. After 5 days in icu she was placed on peds...the next day the fluids came back and she was placed on a chest tube for over a week. On November 10 the last x-ray showed the fluid was gone...so i thought...they removed her tube and sent her home the same da. Well on december 4 she had her follow up chest x-ray and the radiologists tells me there is still fluid there. he said it did go down a little since November 10th. i didn't even know there was still some concern No one explained this to me....our health care here isn't the greatest. well now I am terrified. She I be concerned about this fluid? I will not get to see a doc for another 2 weeks yet..i feels like I am left on my own here with so many questions. this is what I know...she still has decreased breath sounds in her lower right lobe...she still has fluid showing up on her x-ray and she hasn't improved all that much since she came home from hospital november 10th.....she says she feels well ,except she still can't breath deep cause it hurts...and as of november 10th her sedimentation rate was apparently really bad....not sure if high or low...anyone with help or info it would be greatly appreciated...I need sleep...but am affraid to leave her alone at night without looking in on her...this all happened so fast before and I am affraid it will again

[pepsimom]

Thank you so much for your response. I think i just needed someone to stay that what she is going through is normal...well normal for her condition. She seems to be doing well like I have said...however this past 2 days she is telling me she is extremely tired again....most of the tiredness had gone and she was back in school full days but this past 2 she's been exhausted and her side hurts a little more than usual. she said there is pain there everyday since she got discharged on november 10th it's just now the pain has moved and hurts a little bit more, it's under her ribs and up the side of her ribs...i am thinking that mayba...just maybe finally that lower lobe is getting to expand a little more cause of the fluid absorbing...hoping actually. Her temp is staying at 36.9 which is a good sign and she do try and tell when new things crop up thankfully....she's been warned lol..... we will get to see a doc on the 17th and find out more...but the wait is tortue sometimes....thank you for sharing all of your experience with me...it does actually help me a sleep a little better tonight

Mia

[Jenn12546]

First of all, I am so sorry that your daughter was so sick but glad that she pulled through. Doctors really should listen more to the gut instincts of a mother, they are usually right. I am not a doctor just a nurse who has seen her fair share of lung disease personally and professionally, so please take what I say with a grain of salt.
It looks like she has a pleural effusion, it is good that it has decreased. Your daughter might be having pain on deep inhalation because of the old chest tube site, they hurt for quite some time afterwards. I had one and it hurt for over a month after it was removed, deep breathing was difficult at best. As far as her sed rate, that measures inflammation. It can indicate either an infection or an autoimmune process. Considering your daughter had the fight of her life with pneumonia, perhaps it is related to her pneumonias. I am just guessing here though. Her doctor would probably be able to better elucidate what is going on as he knows her clinical history better than I would.
I do hope that they do a repeat xray to see if the effusion is indeed continuing to get smaller. If your daughter suddenly has problems breathing then I would see someone urgently.
It is understandable that you are so frightened for your daughter's wellbeing, I think I would be doing the same thing you are if one of my kids were as ill as yours was. I think it will take time for your apprehension to lessen, it is still so fresh in your mind.
I wish you both good luck and that she continues to get better.
Jenn