Sorry, I just looked back after typing all of this and it's long so bare with me....
This happened to me in September of 2001 (I was actually in the hospital throughout all of the 9/11 tragedy). I bent over to pick up one of the kids' backpacks from the floor and felt a little "pop". I got a little short of breath but nothing serious so I waited until morning to call the dr. I really honestly thought it was just a "gas issue" since I had been having IBS problems so I wasn't all that concerned. I didn't even go into the dr. until the next afternoon. He listened to my lungs, did an xray and sent me straight to the hospital. Woudn't even let me drive myself although I had just driven an hour to the clinic by myself. They called it spontaneous pneumothorax. Supposedly my biggest "fault" was being young, healthy and thin! Imagine that being a "fault"!
One of the first things they did at the hospital was put a little bitty tube in the side of my chest and hook me up to a little portable machine (forget what it was). I could walk around the hospital and was never really in any pain. At that point my lung was 50% deflated. When that didn't get it expanded, they put a much bigger tube in (yes, that hurt like a booger!) and hooked me up to a machine on the wall. Overall, I laid in the bed for TWO WEEKS waiting for the lung to expand on it's own (having to get those shots in my stomach that they give bed-bound patients). Apparently, the pulmonologist did not relay to the surgeon just exactly how long I had been there - the surgeon thought it was a week when it had actually been two!
So finally on a Thursday evening (almost two weeks exactly from when I checked in), they did that plurodesis procedure in the hopes of closing up the hole. They actually give you something (I'm told it was rohipnol (sp??) - the "date rape" drug) so that you are awake but not aware of the pain. My husband tells me that it was a good thing I wasn't aware because it's supposedly very painful. When I woke up the next morning, they were coming in to get me to do surgery because the procedure didn't do exactly what they wanted it to. I ended up have quite a few holes in my lungs that got stapled shut. From what I remember and understand, I had actually had these "blisters" - officially called blebs - on my lungs probably since birth and it took 30 years for one to pop. Supposedly this usually happens shortly after birth if it's going to happen but with me, my body decided to "fall apart" the month after I turned 30!
I've gotta tell you that the recovery was hell! I had "boob pain" for almost a year from the nerves that was cut under my arm. I've got a good sized round scar under my arm from the second tube and a nice long scar from the surgery but it's barely noticeable anymore.
Sorry this is so long but I haven't had anyone that I personally know have this happen to them or a loved one and I just felt the need to explain what I went through so you'll be a little prepared if that's what they do to your daughter. The male nurse that took me to my room at the hospital said that this happened to him once and that it was a little more unusual to happen to guys - it's statistically a girl thing. Every time I would hear "spontaneous pneumothorax" I would think of spontaneous combustion!
The drs. say that my other lung very well could have these blebs also but we may never know. If the same thing does happen with the other side (and it's been 5 years now and nothing!), then I'll at least be prepared for it and know more..... and I WON'T wait for two weeks before something is done!
Best of luck to your daughter. I'm sure they are doing everything they can and I hope she's not in much pain. I don't know if I was your typical case but I really didn't have any pain except for the tube site and of course after surgery. I didn't read all the way through the thread before posting so I'll go see what else you've posted.
Edited to add...... after all of that, the only "limitation" the dr. put on me is NO scuba diving! That's due to the plurodesis procedure that basically sears your lung to the outer lining in hopes of closing the hole. I really have no other limitations although in really hot weather (like over 100 degrees), I sometimes tire easily but don't know if it's an "age related" thing or due to the lung issue.
Good luck and keep us updated!!