Always Abell

james' drain tube is in place and doing a great job.  the tube pulled 850cc of fluid from his abdomen as soon as it was put in place!  i am sure one of the docs will be by later today and i hope to find out more details about the drain...how long will he need it?  will he go home with it?  how do we care for it???? etc.
james is back in the room resting and i think....
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.................................................................ok i am back.  the doctor came in right in the middle of my post.  and i got some answers. 

• the tube will stay in a couple of weeks.
• yup, it will be coming home
• the nurses will train me how to care for it.
• staples will come out tomorrow as scheduled.
• james will go home friday, best case scenario.  they want to monitor the drain output and make sure james' appetite returns.
• the liver has begun the regeneration process and we really need to pump the protein to james.  if james isn't getting enough protein, the liver will start stealing muscle mass to rebuild itself which can lead to severe weakness and exhaustion and an even longer recovery. so we are going to do our best to avoid all that mess!
• he should eat several small meals a day.
• as we were told before, james will be run down and tired for the next six - eight weeks as the liver regenerates.

i think that's all for now.  as i was saying before, james is resting and i think i will join him.
for my local readers, be safe out there.  most of us are under a tornado watch. 
later my lovelies!
amy