Thoracotomy

Ma is having a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and another pleurodesis done tomorrow. If there is too much scar tissue from her first chest tube, the surgeon will have to do a thoracotomy. He will also scrape her lung and pleural lining. The surgery is supposed to take only 30 minutes. Ma will end up with 2-4 chest tubes. She will have to be put back on a ventilator again. She will be in the ICU for 3-5 days. That's if everything goes well. Nothing has gone well for her so far. Pa approved the surgery. I think if Ma could remember how much she suffered the last time, she wouldn't agree to it. She thinks the surgery will make her better.