If they are waiting until Thursday, then it can't be that serious, right?
They are probably giving him diuretics, hoping that they will pull the fluid out from around the heart and from the lungs.
It is the fluid in the Pericardial sac that has put pressure on his heart, and possibly collapsed the lower left portion of his left lung. As soon as the fluid is gone, the lung will re-inflate.
Having had a similar condition, I don't understand at all why they are waiting - especially since Clinton is going to be playing 18 holes of golf tomorrow, to raise money for th tsunami victims. Maybe he has requested them to wait?
Not good, to my mind. Any fluid that is putting that much pressure on the lung can also put pressure on the heart. In my case, it put enough pressure on my heart to throw me into atrial fibrillation - I literally couldn't breathe, and my brain wasn't getting enough oxygen.
For someone who's already been through open-heart surgery, (Clinton) to wait days before doing this procedure which basically uses a needle to withdraw the fluid (not surgery where they open him up) I don't understand the delay. I think Clinton is taking a risk here - one that I wouldn't take, now that I know what I know about this condition. It must not be that much fluid - but then again, how could the lower left lung be collapsed if there's not "that much" fluid? Something doesn't jive here.
He may be on blood thinners and he would be told to not take those meds because they would not be able to treat for several days, they usually take blood tests every day to make sure that your blot is able to clot before they do any kind of surgery.
18 holes of golf in that condition? That is just crazy!
I'm guessing there is more going on than they are admitting.
But....one can do quite a bit under cardiac strain up to a point.
I had not known you'd gone through this, truthie. That's a lot of good information you've given...better than the "experts" on television :-)