Increase of CSF drain/flow

Dr. Bragg and her NP Emily stopped by a bit ago and she asked how I was doing at the 15cc and they where teasing me as I was picking something off the floor to throw away + rearranging a few things. Emily said she could definitely tell I was feeling better! I love that other people can notice it so much especially since in the last 48 hrs ive slept at most 4 hours and so am tired but still feel heads and tails better than before this external drain was placed!

Dr.Bragg asked if I wanted to take out the external drain today or leave it in another day while they work out details/plan/timelime and I jokingly said i'd just go home with the drain still in place. She turned to her NP (Emily) and said I  told Emily you would say to us that you would just leave the drain and take it home because you feel so much better! Ahh she knows me to well. :) I told them that was it nuts that bc I feel so much better with the 2nd drain in place id crazily rather stay an extra day then go home today and have to deal an extra day with the pressure building up??  Both said they completely understood and thought that i'd think this bc they can see how well I feel. Dr.Bragg upped the amount of spinal fluid to be drained every hr from 15cc's now to 20cc's an hour till tomorrow and we'll see a trial of sorts if this is even better.

She and Emily are talking to Dr.Bragg's partner to get his in-put on how long to safely wait after the external drain is out and in order to let CSF build up (so the actual shunt catheter is easier to get in place) without making me wait to inordinantly long and in discomfort. They are working out those details today.  As ive said before how did I get so lucky to have an awesome neurosurgery team like Dr.Bragg and her nurses????

So I took this picture of the staple gun Dr.Bragg/Emily brought in for when they take out the external drain and have to close the incision. Yikes so apparently this will be used to close the lumbar drain incision tomorrow! I dislike staplers unless I am srapling papers!!

I'll update when I know more on the plan!

Erica