Haha.
Doc says this is not a major procedure. Sounds pretty major to me when a lung has possibly collapsed. Why are they waiting until Thursday?
Don't know--wish I was a doctor so I could analyze it. Prayers for a full recovery.
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.
"Sounds pretty major to me when a lung has possibly collapsed. Why are they waiting until Thursday?"
The media are obviously lying/exaggerating about his condition. If he had "fluid around his heart and/or a collapsed lung," he would have been in surgery before it could even have been reported this morning.
I'm late to the thread and haven't had a chance to read it yet, so there may have been possible updates with the true problem.