August 1, 2026

Dr. C came in today but, unfortunately, she doesn’t have a solution yet for how to get the trapped fluid out. She still has one more GI doctor to consult with before she goes off shift. She’ll also be giving a detailed report to the physician taking over for the next couple of days, so we’re praying they may come up with another option.

Dr. C did say there’s a chance the fluid could begin to resolve on its own over the next few days as they get his pain and nausea under better control. In the meantime, we’ll be draining his PleurX catheter every day in hopes that the fluid shifts into an area where it can be drained.

Rusty is definitely well medicated at this point 🤣. His blood pressure has been running very low, so they’ve started IV fluids. With the increase in pain medication, his oxygen levels have also started to drop, so they’ve added supplemental oxygen as well.

Please keep the prayers coming. We truly feel them, and they mean more than words can express.

One bright spot today was seeing Dr. C again. She was one of the physicians who cared for Rusty last September when he received his initial diagnosis. It was comforting to see a familiar face during such a difficult time. As always, we trust that God is with us every step of this journey.