I don't ordinarily air things like this in public, but I do believe in the power of positive thinking, and the more people thinking positive thoughts right now the better.

Dad's currently in the hospital (since Friday night). Long story short, he's having his lungs checked out. Originally possible TB, but now turned a bit more serious. To complicate matters, he's got COPD (unconfirmed by him, but has been using an inhaler, has O2 bottles to take around with him, and is supposed to have been using an oxygen concentrator at home for over a year now) and has been a life-long smoker.

Last week, he went in for xrays on Tues, a CT on Wed, bronchoscopy on Thurs, then a PET test on Fri. The doc called the house shortly after Dad got home from the PET saying "you need to get to the hospital now! The PET showed you have a collapsed lung." Apparently the bronch on Thurs caused a small tear in his left lung. He'd been sore and a little short of breath, but was told to expect 'some discomfort' after the bronch.

They managed to get it started re-inflating, but it's taking longer than they thought. He's had a chest tube and has been on O2 since shortly after being admitted. He's also got a couple of other areas the PET turned up, but the docs don't want to do anything about them until the lungs are dealt with.

I went to visit yesterday (Mom & Dad's 45th wedding anniversary in addition to being Easter Sunday) and he was looking a lot pinker (more O2 in his blood system) and was breathing easier than I've seen him in a while.

He was scheduled to have a needle biopsy done on an area in his right lung this morning (going in through his back). Mom called a little while ago to tell me the biopsy was done, but now his right lung is collapsing. They're going to get a chest tube in his right side to get that reinflated.

Any prayers/smoke/positive thoughts heading his way would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!