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The neurosugeon was suggesting we remove the breathing tube this morning. They turned down the assisted breathing and Anthony did OK for two hours but kept having periods of apnea (not breathing) for longer than they expected. The surgeon offered two reasons why:
1.) He had a build up of brain fluid
2.) He had permanent nerve damage on the breathing nerve from removing the tumor so close to it.
They took a CT scan at 2:oo p.m. and it revealed #1 and the possibility of #2 still exists but now they are putting a shunt in his head that will allow the brain fluid to drain off and then we will see how he responds. We still don't know the extent of his injuries to the nerves from the tumor and the surgery but MOST of his functions still seem intact.
Right now we are still uncertain of this breathing, swallowing, balance, eyes and facial expressions on the left side (which was the original indicator that something was wrong back in April and the dignosis was Bells Palsy). Only time will tell and he is still on the breathing tube.
The oncologist visited today ... the results of the biopsy will not come back for another week or two as the form of cancer they found was so rare nobody here could identify it so they had to send it to Johns Hopkins for an expert to figure out what it is. When these results come back the doctor will have a better idea of what kind of chemotherapy it will require. The chemo is a little ways off because he first has to recover from the surgery and be breathing and functioning on his own, they will not do chemo until then.
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