Update #16, No More Holes Please

Susan has been suffering from a distended belly which is called ascites. Ascites is where fluid builds up in the membrane sac (the peritoneum) that holds all the guts in place. They were hoping that by giving here drugs to reduce water retention her body would get rid of it on it's own. It was getting so uncomfertable they decided to do a procedure called paracentesis where they insert a tube into the peritoneum, with a puncture through the belly, to drain the built up fluid. It's hard to believe, but they drained 2.5 liters from her little belly! (10 lbs worth) As it drained she immediately felt relief followed by extreme cramping as the bowels readjusted. Since then she's been able to take deeper breaths and she started feeling hungry again. She's slowly trying to make her way up to 1500 calories a day.