Statistical Improbability

[J] MRI results revealed a hematoma at the lumbar puncture sight. This was not expected, but the prognosis is still the same. Steroids are being used to reduce swelling which should eliminate pressure on the nerves and calm the pain. The blood should be absorbed by the body in a couple of weeks. After that, her pain should be 100% gone forever.

She's taking heavy doses of pain killer and roids. A-Rod would be proud. I think the juice is starting to take effect. Yesterday she could only stand for about 30 seconds before the pain got too intense. Today she can walk 40 feet and bench 250.

Our airline tickets say we're flying home Monday, but Marisa's back may say otherwise. We plan to make that call tomorrow. Delta waived our ticket change fee last time, but refuses to do it again. It's actually $10 cheaper to buy new tickets then change the ones we've got. What a deal.

Marisa seems to defy the laws of statistical probability. Just to recap, during her last surgery her lung was punctured during the central venous catheter insertion and she wound up with a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. I've seen literature that says lung punctures occur 1% of the time during catheter insertion. Judging by the amount of CSF fistula (head hole) talk I hear, I think the rate of fistula occurrence is higher than that of punctured lungs. Her last complication was the real kicker though. Every nurse is aware of the fact that nerve irritation is one of the known complications from having a lumbar drain inserted (as I've explained before, the lumbar drain was inserted to heal the fistula); however, I still haven't met a nurse who's actually seen it before. One of the nurses did some research and found a study that said it occurs approximately 0.3% of the time. Judging by the doctors reactions, I don't think any of them have ever heard of, let alone seen, such severe pain from nerve irritation. She's in a special class amongst the 0.3%. Mike M. says we should stop at Vegas on our way home. Instead, I think I'll avoid walking too close to Marisa when we're outside for fear of meteor strike.