November 30, 2011

We hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got pleasantly plump! We certainly had a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, and we had a wonderful time with our family.  Josh and I went to see the oncologist on Monday and talked about all of his options.  The doctor let us know that they wouldn't "technically" say he is in remission until he had completed the full 6 rounds of chemo.  He has had two rounds and they say that they always recommend the full course no matter if there is no sign of cancer left in the body.  He says that because their studies show that microscopically there is a chance that it is still there.  Josh and I had a hard time seeing the need to put his immune system and body through that at this moment when he is still trying to regain all his strength and health.  The doctor said that he has had patients stop treatment and see how they did.  With that being said Josh decided that he would rather have another break from treatment right now and give himself a chance to recover from everything else he has been through.  The doctor gave Josh his blessing and said he would stand by his decision to wait a little while.  He will be going in for labs and things the next couple of months but he has a break from everything until the end of January when they will perform another PETscan to see how he is doing.  He intends to focus on eating healthy, juicing, and getting stronger.  Our baby is due at the end of February and we are going to constantly keep praying that he is healthy and strong and ready to meet his first son.  We hope that all of you will pray right along with us and hope that you all have a marvelous Christmas!  We will try to post every couple of weeks just to keep you all updated on his progress.

All our Love,
Joshua, Kalyn, and Embyr

November 22, 2011

I was going to write on the blog last night and give you all our exciting news, but I just had to let it be all ours for a short little while before I started shouting it from the rooftops.  Josh went yesterday to get his latest PET scan results and we found out that he has NO LIVE ACTINE CANCER cells in his body right now.  They are not telling us that he is in remission but we do know for a fact that NOTHING showed up on his scans and we are so ecstatic!!!!  We are so thankful and so blown away that even after this long break off chemo and all the surgeries that his cancer was not growing.  We are blessed!!!  The doctors say that he still needs to have the rest of his chemo, we are hoping it won't be much.  He is due to have a round starting on Monday and then he wants to talk to his oncologist to see if it is really necessary for him to do anymore than that.  It is so hard on your body and what he really needs right now is to regain his strength and stamina...not be put back down from chemo.  I will keep you all posted as to what comes next and how he is doing.  We are so extremely grateful to have such good news after everything else we've been through.  God is AWESOME!!!!  We love you all and thank each and everyone of you who reads this from the bottom of our hearts for all the prayers and love!

Josh, Kalyn, and Embyr

November 19, 2011

Where to start?  How about...I CANNOT believe that I have not posted in almost two weeks.  I am really getting out of the habit of writting when our lives have gone back to some kind of normalcy.  Josh came home the very next day after his surgery.  It was pretty minor, they said that everything that was going on was between the skin and muscle. So, not down in his intestines and stuff.  He came home with staples and a drain, we went to the doctor last week and they removed a couple of staples and the drain.  He goes back on Monday to get the rest of his staples removed.  Last Tuesday he got his first dose of Iron through an IV and is scheduled to get them once a week because he is anemic right now.  Today I took him to the oncologists office to get a PET scan.  They needed this scan before starting his next round of chemo on the 28th of this month.  He is also doing physical and occupational therapy three times a week and is even driving himself.  He still doesn't feel back to normal yet, but he is feeling better.  We all seem to be doing ok right now and are just juggling lots of doctor visits and things.  I will try to keep you all updated as time goes by and I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!  We are going to have the best one ever...Josh is here with us and we are so very thankful!!!

Love to all,
Kalyn

Monday. Nov. 7

Just saw the surgeon and Josh got through the surgery really well. They drained the hematoma and fixed the artery. He is still in the recovery room but I was told he is doing great and should get to go home tomorrow. He has a drain in the area of the hematoma and a few staples. Thank you all so much for your prayers! We will keep everyone posted in the next few days.

Lots of love,
Kalyn

November 7, 2011

Well, we have certainly been on a roller coaster the last couple of day and I am just now having the time to fill u all in. The last week was pretty good. He got all of his stitches and drains out last Monday. Kind of a crazy experience that day. The surgeon removed one of the drains and when he did Josh started bleeding profusely. The surgeon had to stitch up a torn vein right there in the office. He felt kind of crappy after that but really who wouldn't after seeing that much blood. He did pretty good the rest of the week. He was driving himself around and was doing much better. We woke up Friday to Embyr having a fever and feeling bad. We stayed in a couple of days to take care of her, and she is much better now. Then on Saturday night I started having stomach cramps and I threw up a couple of times during the night. On Sunday I talked to my ob/gyn and she had me go to the emergency room, then admitted me to observe me for one night. I am doing much better and am just struggling with nausea now. Josh's sister came up from Temple last night to help take care of Embyr while I was in the hospital. I could tell that Josh wan't feeling well yesterday because he didn't feel like sitting with me. This morning I woke up to find out that Jenna had taken Josh to the hospital. He woke up this morning to a lot of blood oozing out of the bottom of his incision. They took a cat scan and found out that he has a big pocket of clotted, infected blood in his abdomen. On top of finding the large hematoma, they found an aneurysm in an artery under his stomach. The surgeon informed us that it should be fairly easy to fix. So, I got discharged this afternoon while Josh got admitted. They just took him back for surgery about 20 minutes ago and said it will probably take about an hour. Please, please, say some prayers...I will post again in a little bit to let everyone know how it went.

October 30, 2011

Josh has been home for a week and is doing pretty well.  There's really not much to report, he has been to rehab a couple of times.  He even started driving again!  He is still struggling with the lack of energy.  We go back to the surgeon tomorrow to have his stitches removed.  We will also see the oncologist later in the week to determine when his next round of chemo will be.  This week was good but also a little trying...Josh's mom moved about 10 days ago to California.  While we lost some great help, we learned that we can really take care of ourselves with a little extra effort.  Things seem to be settling into a different kind of normal around here and we are trying to cope as best we can.  We will keep you all updated on Josh's progress through the rest of his treatments and how we are all doing.  Thanks again for the constant love and support!

Josh and Kalyn

October 23, 2011

Josh is home!  Josh is home!!!  I brought him home today around 3pm, and am so happy he is back.  He has been progressing very well and is on solid foods again.  The surgeon left in all three drains around his incision.  We will probably go to his office sometime this week to get those removed.  His energy is still pretty low but he will be going back to physical therapy starting tomorrow.  We will also be seeing the oncologist this week to determine when he will start his chemo again. 

As some of you may or may not know, I went to the ER yesterday.  I have been having severe mid back pain and my OB wanted me to make sure that there was nothing going on  with my kidneys.  It was a long day there, as most ER trips are.  I am happy to report that it wasn't anything serious, just a pulled muscle or pinched nerve.  I'm still in quite a bit of pain but I can manage.

We are praying and hoping that this was Josh's last visit to  the hospital...we ask that all of you keep praying for his constant healing and remission.

We love you all,
Josh and Kalyn

October 21, 2011

It's been a few days since Josh's surgery and I have been back and forth between the hospital and home. Sometimes I seriously don't even know what day it is. The first part of the week was really hard for Josh, he was in a great deal of pain and was very worried that his bowels might not start up. He was really struggling and did not feel like getting up and out of bed. Yesterday was a different story though and he started getting up first thing in the morning and went for walks and did some physical therapy too. All of it paid off and he finally passed gas last night! He got the nasal gastric tube out and finally got to start on clear liquids last night. His first request was strawberry jell-o! Today he started passing more gas and had his first bowel movement. I have never been so happy about bowel progress in my life! He has been to physical therapy today and been working very hard. Day before yesterday I was here when the surgeon came in to look at the incisions and drains, I am pleased to say that it all looks so good. He has three drains in his abdomen and the doctor thinks he will probably go home with two of them. It also looks as though he will probably be discharged on Monday. Thank you all so much for the prayers and support.

All our love,
Josh and Kalyn

October 17, 2011

Today has been a very long day and I am sorry I have not given you all an update earlier than this.  We woke up at 5am this morning and Josh was back in surgery by about 7am.  Our friend Sarah and Josh's cousin Katie sat with Wendy and I at the hospital this morning.  The surgeon had planned on reversing the ostomy, putting in a port for chemo, and putting something on the wound (close to a graft) to help it heal.  When he got in there though he had to do things a bit differently.  The reversal of the ostomy and port went the way he had planned but when he got to the wound he discovered that there was a large infected abcess under the bottom portion of it.  There was basically a ton of fluid and drainage just hanging out that we had no clue about.  He drained the fluid and then cut out Josh's old wound from his first surgery and then proceeded to close up the muscle and skin.  He no longer has a gaping wound or ostomy to deal with!  The surgeon also put in three drains to make sure he does not get another abcess.  They are worried about infection so he is on a strong antibiotic and lots of pain meds.  They are hoping that his wound will stay closed and heal  properly, only time will tell.  Josh has been sleeping most of the day but came through the surgery really well.  He is very exhausted and a little upset that he has a nasal gastric tube down his throat.  This tube drains everything from his stomach so that the doctors can monitor his bowels to see if he will begin to pass gas.  He won't be able to eat anything for a couple of days until they know for sure that everything is working as it should.  Thank you all so much for all your continued thoughts and prayers.  I am asking for a couple of specific prayer requests: 1) Pray that he will recover well and have no complications;  2) Pray that all of his intestines and colon do what they are supposed to.  I will keep you all posted as to how things are going in the next few days.

Lots of Love,
Kalyn

October 13, 2011

Big news for everyone today...Josh will be having his surgery on Monday morning at 7am to reverse the ostomy and put his port in for chemo.  He is so ready to get rid of the ostomy bag but is still a little apprehensive about another surgery.  We are so thankful that his body is ready to undergo another surgery and that he will be on his way to better health again. 

We have even bigger news...we found out this morning that we will be adding a baby boy to complete our family!!!  We are so excited and overjoyed, we were hoping all along for a boy and I had a feeling the last couple of weeks that a boy was what we'd get.  God sure was listening to my yearning heart!  Embyr went with us today to the sono appointment and got to be a part of it all...she is super excited!  She is now saying that she wants to name him Curious George!  She is going to be a great big sister to this little brother of hers.  Everything looked great with him and we got some great 3D pics.  Josh is so thrilled to have a little man around the house. (he kind of feels out numbered sometimes!)

Josh has to be at the Round Rock Hospital Monday morning at 5:45 am and I will be with him as he undergoes this next surgery.  His mom will be at home with Embyr and I was wondering if maybe someone would like to volunteer to come sit with me.  I know it's early but I do much less worrying if I have someone to talk to and pray with.  Let me know if any of you would like to come sit with me.  Today has been a great day and we are so elated that our little family will be complete soon (with Josh beating cancer and being whole again too!).  Thanks again to all of our family and friends, we love you all so much!

Josh, Kalyn, and Embyr (and our little boy too!)

October 10, 2011

In a couple of days Josh will have been home two weeks!  Time sure doe fly...also on Wednesday we have an appointment with the surgeon.  He will determine if Josh is ready to have his ostomy reversed so that his bowels can start working again.  Please pray that he is ready for this surgery, he will be so happy to get rid of his ostomy bag.  We also are in need of some very strong prayers for his mental state and attitude.  He has become very depressed and is having a hard time seeing that everything will be okay.  We are all trying to encourage him but it seems like his mind is just tired and depressed.  He gets cheered up a bit when friends and relatives come to visit but other than that, he is struggling on a daily basis.  Please, please pray for his spirits and attitude to come up and be able to keep fighting this hard battle.  I thank you all so much for your prayers, letters, donations, love, and support.  Each and every one of you touch my heart everyday and I KNOW that God has great things in store for us!

With much love,
Kalyn

Monday October 3, 2011

Today we are celebrating Josh's fifth day home and we are also celebrating the birth of Chad and Tessa's new baby.  Karver Clark Whitaker...born this morning weighing 6lbs. and 9oz., both mommy and baby are doing great!  We are so excited to be Aunt and Uncle again. This evens up the Whitaker house hold, three girls and three boys now.  They all got settled in their new house last week and now they get to bring the new baby home to it.  God is so great!  Not much to report on Josh, he has been to physical therapy today and did really great.  It wore him out but he did almost everything they threw at him.  He will have PT three times a week and will be going to see the surgeon next week to see if his proteins are high enough for him to have surgery soon.  He also gets wound care three times a week as well, his wound is looking much better.  It has been a good transition getting him settled at home, he was a little hesitant but everything went fine.  He is trying to get into a normal daily routine and also trying to do some exercising at home too.  We are just so happy to have him home and it's just so good to have our family in one place again!

Lots of Love,
Kalyn and Josh

Wednesday September 28, 2011

Great news everyone....we are going home today!!! We are waiting to be discharged and are ready to goooo HOME! We also have more great news....we got approved for Medicaid yesterday! There is a person in the hospital that pushed our application through (not through disability) and got us all approved. I already had pregnancy Medicaid but now Embyr has insurance too. What an answered prayer!! The Medicaid is retroactive back to August 1st, that means we still have a lot of bills from July before his hospitalization. We are truly blessed to have such a great weight lifted off our shoulders.

Josh is doing so much better, he got his wound vac off on Monday and just has a regular dressing over it. He will be coming back to the hospital three times a week for outpatient rehab and they will also redress his wound on those days. He has been walking without a walker the last few days and getting stronger. He will be getting his ostomy reversed in about two to three weeks...more hospital time but we are so happy he will start gaining more weight after he has that surgery.

We are so overjoyed and thankful today...we are also so grateful to all of you for your constant love, support, and prayers! We love you so much!

Josh and Kalyn

Saturday September 24, 2011

First things first...today is our seventh anniversary!!!  I am so happy to have Josh here with me to celebrate it and to know that I didn't loose him.  I have faith that we will have many more.  I have a lot to catch you all up on since I have not blogged all week.  Tuesday I wasn't feeling well and I found it harder than usual to get back in the swing of things.  I am so thankful that Josh's mother has been here to help with everything.  Josh is getting much better, he is walking further everyday and working harder with physical therapy too.  Yesterday the surgeons came in and removed the last three retention rods on his wound (these things were causing him a lot of pain) and said that it is looking so much better.  They also say that he may be able to get rid of the wound vac by Monday.  His wound isn't completely closed yet but they say that it should grow new skin and make a scar soon.  His proteins have sort of plateaued  but we are hoping that they will go up more soon.  All the doctors seem to think that they will and when they get a bit higher he will be able to have his ostomy reversed before the next chemo treatment.  He has been learning how to take care of the ostomy bag and how to empty it, because pretty soon he will have to be doing it at home with no help.  The hospital is looking to release him some time this next week.  We don't know if he will be going to rehab or home...we're still crossing our fingers that he will be able to get some sort of rehab before he comes home.  He is a little apprehensive about coming home without it.  The last few days he has been trying extra hard to do normal things like he would be doing at home.  He's wearing normal clothes during the day and sitting up in the chair for all of his meals.  He is walking further everyday and even walked outside yesterday!  He still needs a walker for most of his walks but has actually done a few without it too.  I am so proud of him for pushing himself so hard when I know he still isn't feeling very well.

Josh and I both want to thank everyone who has donated to his medical fund recently.  We are so touched that all of you didn't even hesitate and are willing to give as much as you can.  We are both so overwhelmed with gratitude and want all of you to know how special you are and how much we love you!

Thanks again...with all our love,
Josh and Kalyn

Monday September 19, 2011

I forgot to tell all of you in the last post I made that Josh had a cat scan last Thursday to see how the chemo did and they said that things look smaller and that they have a good hold on the cancer.  This is great because now he gets to have a big break before the next treatment.  He is doing so much better, he has gotten up everyday and worked really hard with physical therapy.  They say that he will hopefully be moved to a rehab facility a week from today.  They are just having a hard time finding the funding to get him into such a place.  We are really praying hard that they find a place because he is still not ready to go straight home.  The doctors have been cutting back his meds in hopes of having him off of some of it before he leaves next week.  The staff is training him on how to change and empty out his ostomy bag.  He has been trying to figure it out but is still a little unsteady with it at times.  This is all I have time for today, but I hope it catches you all up on his progress.  Thank you so much for all of your prayers!

Much Love,
Josh and Kalyn

Friday September 16, 2011

Josh is having more good days than bad lately.  His mouth sores have gotten much better and are almost completely gone.  He has been eating really well, we can tell because his proteins continue to rise.  He is definitely on the uphill climb from his last round of chemo.  They are going to give him six more weeks before they do another treatment.  His body really needs a chance to heal, they expect that his surgical wound will start to close in the next few weeks.  We still don't really know if his ostomy will be reversed like we thought.  His proteins have to be even higher and they really want to make sure he is in good condition before they do something like that.  He is going to be getting some rehab we just do not know where or when.  We were hoping he could get into the rehab here at the hospital but without any insurance/medicaid it's virtually impossible.  We have no idea where he will go next but we are praying for the best outcome for him.  He has been doing a lot more physical therapy and walking more everyday.  He has lost a lot of weight and seems really frail, he tires easily still but we are hoping that with this break from chemo he will improve in all those areas. 

I don't know if any of you have noticed that there is now a DONATE button on the left hand side of the blog underneath the top picture.  A few of you have asked what you could do to help us and I have basically been saying "I don't know".  This is our way of letting you all feel like you are helping us with everything.  We are struggling with bills and finances to say the least right now.  Any donation made will be gladly accepted and help us so much.  Please pass this on to anyone you know that would like to help.  We want to continue to thank you all so much for your continued prayers and well wishes.  We are so grateful to everyone for all the help, love, and support!

Love,
Josh and Kalyn

Tuesday September 13, 2011

Josh's blood counts are back up!  He is feeling a bit better but is still suffering with the mouth sores.  The last couple of days he has gotten out of bed and gone for a couple of walks each day.  He has really been pushing himself to get active again.  The doctors have discontinued his antibiotics and antifungals, two less things to take.  His wound is looking much better and holding the vacuum for three whole days without beeping.  This is because his proteins have continued to go up and it is starting to heal.  We don't really know what the next steps are as far as his care.  We are hoping that they will get him some good physical therapy, sew up his wound, and reverse his ostomy before he comes home. 

On another note, Embyr started pre-school on Monday!  She was so excited and went into the classroom with no problems...she was ready.  I on the other hand had my mommy moment in the parking lot and had to cry a little, especially when I realized Josh didn't get to see her off that morning.  I took some pictures of her though and brought the camera so he could see his baby on her first day of school.  I went to the OBGYN doctor on Monday too and got to hear the heartbeat and found out that our next visit in October will be when we get to find out the sex of the baby.  I got back to the hospital Monday afternoon and ran into a nurse we had on another floor and her background was OB.  She asked how I was and when I had been to the Dr. last, I told her I had just been and that I got to hear the heartbeat.  She was so excited for me and was so sweet, she went to get one of the heartbeat things and brought it into Josh's room.  Josh, Embyr, and his Mom all got to hear the baby's heartbeat.  It was such a sweet moment! 

We have some specific prayer requests right now that I want to ask all of you for.  This whole time that Josh has been in the hospital we have been waiting to be approved for Medicaid.  The oncologist's social worker has been the one helping us and she informed me yesterday that it isn't looking good.  In order for Josh to get Medicaid he had to apply for Social Security Disability.  Well, they are acting like he will be able to go back to work in no time...yeah right!  We just don't understand their thinking, he can barely get on his own two feet and has to use a walker to get down the hallway.  On top of that, he still has so much more chemo to go and working will be incredibly difficult for him in the next year.  We are praying that our social worker can get through to these people and get them to realize how serious his situation is.  Meanwhile, while we are waiting for everything to be approved we have all of these bills rolling in.  I am just trying to ignore them for now until we find out more about his situation.  So, my specific prayer request right now is that we get his Medicaid to come through for him.  Thanks everyone for your continued prayers and strength.

Josh and Kalyn

Saturday September 10, 2011

Okay....so now I can't get out of the habit of blogging every couple of days.  I have not been at the hospital as much since Thursday.  Josh's mom is out of town and I have mainly been at home taking care of Embyr and the house.  It has seriously been so hard, I am so used to sleeping up here with him and now I've been at home the last three nights and am just really missing him.  As far as how he is feeling and doing, I think the last few days have been pretty hard on him mentally and physically.  The chemo side effects have really set in and his numbers have gone way down.  He has sores in his mouth and down his throat that are pretty painful for him, it makes it difficult for him to eat.  I do think that he is on the uphill climb now, I have been up here all day today and the doctors say that his numbers are slowly coming up and that his liver enzymes have come down a bit.  His protein levels have continued to go up as well.  He feels really exhuasted and is having back pain from being in the bed so long.  He has also been batteling fevers the last couple of days, nothing really high but none the less they are keeping a close eye on things.  The doctors also have him on a few different drugs; one to bring his heartrate down, one to fight the overwhelming amount of yeast in his body, and one antibiotic just in case.  We are praying for strength as he has none at the moment and that his blood counts continue to come up quickly.  Giving him all my love and all the love I feel from all of you.

Love,
Kalyn

Wednesday September 7, 2011

Two days without blogging again...geeze.  I am slacking on the job, I know a lot of you read this everyday and I'm sorry I got behind.  No worries though, no major changes on our end.  Josh is starting to feel the effects of his last chemo treatment.  He is really exhausted and his numbers have dropped again.  This is all expected but still really hard on him.  Yesterday he got to go outside since it was so nice and his numbers were still really high.  We brought him lunch and took him outside for a picnic.  Then later he got up and took a really good walk, which really helped too.  Today they came in to re-do his wound vac and told him everything looked so much better and that they were so excited that it held since Sunday.  He was so happy to hear that it's not leaking as much and actually starting to heal.  Hooray for his proteins going up!  All in all, the doctors seem to think he's doing so much better even though the chemo has him a bit down.  The surgeons told us that if his proteins continue to go up and if they get all the way up then maybe they will reverse his ostomy in the next few weeks.  Until then, they are trying to get him through this bout with the chemo and then they will really start some good rehab.  I will try to keep everyone posted as we get new news.  Thanks again to all of you keeping up with his progress and continuing to pray for him.  We are so very thankful!

Much Love,
Josh and Kalyn

Sunday September 4, 2011

Two days without updating everyone seems like forever. Friday, my mother-in-law called me first thing in the morning to tell me she thought Embyr might be sick. I ran home just in time for her to throw up all over me! I got her into the dr a couple of hours later and she threw up one more time while we were there. She had a high fever and the dr said a stomach bug had been going around and that's probably what was going on. So, with Embyr having a fever I was unable to go the hospital until last night. We literally laid around for two days. My dad was actually here during that time as well and did some manly things that only a dad or a husband can do. We really appreciate Papa and all he did for us while he was here. Josh's mom Wendy has been here too and has helped tremendously. She has been spending the night with him while I can't and also cooking and trying to help with Embyr and I. I literally could not get all of this done without everyone's help! Yesterday I got all my hair cut off so I could join the club.

As far as how Josh is doing, he's hanging in there. His appetite has been better the last few days and they say that his pre-albumin levels (pre-protein) have been coming up. He is off of the nutrition through the IV because of his liver enzymes. We're hoping he will get to stay off of it and get those protein levels up on his own. The oncologists say that hisl white blood cells are really high right now because they are giving him a medicine to bring them up super high before they drop from the chemotherapy. They are hoping the numbers won't drop as low as last time by doing this. He has also gotten a couple of red blood cell transfusions. Those have given him a little more energy. Right now I am sitting in his room while they apply new dressings and suction to his wound vac...again! That machine beeped again all night last night, luckily I had my earplugs and Josh had lots of good drugs, so we got some sleep. It was really nice to spend the night with him last night after being away for two days. It was also good to be with Embyr for two days too. Now I am back to trying to find a good balance between the two of them. I think I am going to check into Embyr going to school down the street from us for two days a week. That will probably help with the balance of time between the both of them until Josh gets home. Once he's home it will be good too. All Embyr knows is that she is super excited to be going to school. We also finally told Embyr that she is going to be a big sister. She is so excited and said we need to name the girl "Monkey" or if it's a boy to name it "Jungle Under the Sea". Hilarious! Hope all of you out there are doing well and have a great holiday tomorrow!

All our love!
Josh and Kalyn

Thursday September 1, 2011

Okay so I've had a rough couple of days and haven't had time to blog, but I'm going to try and update everyone now.  The last thing I think I wrote about was Josh having to have so many procedures on Monday.  He had a very long day, when they finally got done with all of the small bowel x-rays (it's a long process of having him drink stuff and then taking several pictures throughout the day) it was midnight and he hadn't eaten all day.  He was a bit grouchy to say the least.  Yesterday he had an okay day, the surgeon came in and set up the wound vacuum again luckily it stayed but as I am typing this they are trying to work on a leak.  Ugh!  Literally neverending with the silly wound vac, poor guy.  He also started his chemo treatment yesterday evening and got through all of it really well.  They gave him a drug yesterday as part of the chemo he has not had before and they warned us that there could be some pretty bad side effects while it was going in.  Thank God he did not have a bad experience, he had a mild episode of the shakes and lightheadedness but other than that he did really good.  The chemo treatment was not over until about 9:30pm last night and after they were finished they gave him 100mg of prednisone which made him wired so he was unable to go to sleep last night until about 2:30am.  He woke up pretty groggy this morning and  has had his breakfast and lunch and a good walk.  Yesterday the doctors took him off of the nutrition through the IV and all the antibiotics  because his liver enzymes were rising.  They are hoping to give his liver a break and figure out if he has any infection from the fluid on Monday.  If he does have some infection they will adjust the antibiotic and get him on the right one. 

I have had a couple of long days too, not sleeping well and feeling pretty nauseous.  Monday I waited around all day while he was getting his tests run and tried to eat as much as I could but was worried and upset about some things.  Long story short I got really nauseous and threw up, I have not actually thrown up at all during this pregnancy and I thought I was getting over the morning sickness part of things.  I guess I was wrong and should have eaten more and not stressed so much.  And I know what all of you are going to say...take care of yourself, eat, rest, etc.  I really am trying I promise, it's just that this is literally the most stressful, scary and unsettling experience I have ever been through. 

I really want to say Thank You again to all of you and my family who come by, bring flowers, call, pray, and just think about Josh and what we are going through.  I could not get through all of this without all the love and support and I am very very thankful!

Kalyn

August 30, 2011 10am

Well, we were moved back down to the oncology floor last night and oddly enough we are back in the same room as before. The new room number is 325 and it's at the front of the hospital again, so no more taking the ICU elevators. Before we left the other room last night they took the wound vacuum off because no one was available to come fix it. He just had a regular dressing all night that had to be changed a few times. The oncologist came in this morning with the intention of starting chemotherapy today but informed us that he has a lot of fluid in his abdomen, apparently it is down around his pelvis and bladder. She sent him down to radiology just a minute ago to have it drained. He will be unconscious and they are going to drain the fluid with a needle to see if it is infected. The plan after that is to bring him back and have the surgeons come back by to put the wound vacuum back on. Chemotherapy could possibly start later today but more than likely tomorrow. Will update more later!

Let's pray there is no infection and that he gets through this chemo easily...
Kalyn

August 29, 2011

Josh is about to get up and go walking today, he had his wound vac worked on this morning and is just now getting a chance to get out of the room. We talked to the oncologist this morning and found out that he will be moved back down to the oncology floor to get chemotherapy tomorrow. We don't know when they will move him, maybe this afternoon. He has had so many antibiotics that he developed thrush in his mouth, they started him on a mouth rinse for it. He does NOT like it! His protein levels are still low and they are expecting them to stay that way. He does not have enough transit time after eating before it comes out of the ostomy bag. They are giving him immodium to help slow things down a little. The oncologist also said that after this treatment they are going to give him 8 weeks off so he has time to heal and possibly get his ostomy reversed. We need prayers now to help him get through the chemotherapy and his numbers dropping again. They are going to keep him here through all of that so we are looking at a week to two weeks before he will get to go home and recoup. We need strength for the next couple of weeks and lots of prayers still! Thanks so much!

Love to everyone!
Josh and Kalyn

Sunday August 28, 2011

Today Josh walked further down the hall of the hospital than he ever has!  He's completely exhausted now and needs a nap but he did great.  Yesterday was kind of a long day with a few visitors so I didn't feel like updating.  Friday was Josh's birthday and he had a very long day, I think I let everyone know that they worked on his wound vacuum most of the morning on Friday.  They also came back in the afternoon for a total of four and a half hours.  He was a trooper though and toughed it out.  Later that evening when the nurses were getting him ready to go to his party his chest tube accidentally got pulled out.  They had to get an x-ray and wait for dr's orders saying he was okay to go.  It took until Saturday for them to decided he didn't need the chest tube any longer.  Josh decided he would just stay in his room and we let all the party guests filter in and wish him a happy birthday.  He had a gluten-free cupcake and we all sang happy birthday, although he had a long day he ended it in a very special way.  I spent the night Friday night and had to listen to the alarm on his wound vacuum all night.  It was seriously a long torture, then the surgeon came in first thing on Saturday morning and re-adjusted all the wound vacuum dressings and it lasted for a while.  He did have to come back though, around 12pm last night fix it all over again.  There's something going on either with the kind of wound he has or the actually machine, they just can't figure it out.  Yesterday I picked up Josh's iPad for his birthday and he has been playing Angry Birds and loving his new toy!  Thanks to everyone for pitching in, I'm kind of addicted to the game too!  He has been loving all the visitors and knowing how much you all care about him really overwhelms him sometimes.  Thanks again to all of you who made his birthday so special!

We love you all,
Josh and Kalyn

August 26, 2011 3pm

IT'S JOSH'S BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!  That being said, he is not really had a chance to enjoy any of the festivities so far.  He got up this morning and immediately after breakfast the ostomy nurse came in to change the the bag and the dressing.  Just as soon as she started, the physical therapy team came in to change out the foam and wound vaccum.  They both worked on him for about 2 hours and his wound is still leaking...they gave him about an hour and half to rest and they just got back in the room to try it all over again.  His wound is just leaking heavily and they can't get a good seal for the wound vac.  We tried to bring a bday lunch around 12:30pm and he didn't even get to eat until about 2pm.  He is so tired but is toughing it out like a trooper.  Our wonderful, amazing friends Misti and Raul Vara had a great idea yesterday to bring up a record player and so now as we speak he is trying to meditate while listening to Jimi Hendrix.  For those of you who know Josh you know that records and music are a major thing in his life.  He was so excited and grateful they did such a small and sweet thing for him.  It means so much.  We are hoping he can rest up and be ready for his party tonight.  Let's all cross our fingers that it will go off without a hitch and he will have an uplifting time!  Happy Birthday to Joshua, the strongest man I know...I love you sweetie with all my heart. Hang in there, you're doing good!

Kalyn

August 25, 2011 5:30pm

I'm sitting with Josh right now and just watching him relax, he has had a GOOD day.  Embyr has been by to see him which always brings his spirits up and he has been out of bed more than in bed today.  He actually walked out of his room and into the hallway today...3 times!  So proud of him for trying so hard, I guess he's making up for the bad day he had yesterday.  Yesterday a surgeon came in and put a wound vacuum on his incision.  It is still wide open from when they removed the staples and it started oozing a lot yesterday. They say that the wound vac will help with the healing process until his protein levels come up and his body starts doing it on his own.  We are getting ready to shave his head in a minute because it is really starting to fall out and I think it's better that he's in control of losing it.  Embyr and Grandma are bringing up a home cooked meal in a little while and we are going to have a hospital picnic!

Much Love to everyone!
Kalyn

August 24, 2011 1pm

Okay so we've had a couple of tough days but I think things may be looking up.  Although I want to ask a little later for specific prayer requests.  I didn't update yesterday because I wasn't feeling well, I have been really really nauseous.  I went home yesterday for about 4 hours and tried to eat and rest and then I came back for as long as I could.  I felt like he was ready to stay the night by himself last night so I stayed home and got some good sleep.  Although, this morning he seemed very defeated, tired, and depressed.  I think he is realizing how hard things are going to be and how slow this process is.  He is just really ready to be out of here and knowing that he probably has another week along with chemo is kind of depressing him.  Not much has changed in the way of his progress, they've been getting him up as much as possible and he still has the chest tube.  He is unable to get out in the hallway and walk because of the chest tube.  They started him on an appetite stimulant today because he has not been eating very much.  They weighed him on Monday and he has about 20 extra pounds of fluid that is really dragging him down.  It's all around his abdomen and down his legs to his ankles.  He has had Lasik a couple of times but it's a fine line for him because they do not want to dehydrate him.  With all that being said we are trying to keep his spirits up and pray that he can continue to get through this.  Thanks again to all of you for your continued prayers, we're going to need them for some time.

Specific Prayer Requests:
1) That Josh's fluid will start to leave his body.
2) That he can come out of the darkness of depression soon.
3) That his appetite will come back and his nutrition will get better.

Thanks again,
Kalyn

August 22, 2011 1:30pm

Well today is shaping up pretty nicely.  Josh was moved from ICU to a regular room today, for those of you who are visiting, he is in room 367.  We still have to take the elevators like we're going up to ICU but just take it on up to the third floor.  Last night he also got a really great surprise, the Dr. allowed Embyr to come and visit him in ICU.  She stayed for about 10 minutes and they were both just so happy to finally see each other.  The doctors did start him back on the nutrition through the IV last night, just to help supplement.  He is eating as much as he can and drinking things like Ensure and Protein drinks.  Josh met his goal of getting out of ICU before his birthday, it's this Friday and he will be turning 33!  We migth have a little get together...more info on that later if it is to happen.  The oncologist told him this morning that he will definitely be in the hopsital for another week.  They want to get him his next dose of chemo a week from tomorrow.  He still has his chest tube in and was taken off the morphine pump this morning.  He is only getting pain meds through the mouth now, that's a really big step and we are so proud of him for all the progress he's made.  Love, love, love him...please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Kalyn

August 21, 2011 2pm

Quick Update:  Not much has changed since yesterday, he got his staples out so that his incision could breath and heal.  They have given him some diuretics to try and pull  some of the fluid off but not much is really happening.  His numbers continue to come up, which is a very good thing.  He is trying to eat as much as he can but he isn't getting as much protein as they would like him to.  They told us today that if his protein doesn't come up soon they will have to put him back on the nutrition through the IV.  He is still getting up and walking across the room and sitting in a chair to eat his meals.  Please keep us in your prayers, it seems like we are in a holding pattern and could really use more help.

Thanks for all the love and support,
Kalyn and Josh

A Little Side Note:

I fogot to ask for everyone to pray specifically for the fluid to leave his body and for his energy to come up!

August 20, 2011 10am

I just want to start today by saying that my husband is amazing and such a fighter, we all love him so much and are so proud of him.  I also want everyone to know that he is reading all the comments here and is so touched by all that has been said.  Today he heard from the oncologist that his numbers are still coming up.  He is retaining a lot of fluid and they are trying to work with his body to get as much off as they can.  He got up today and walked to the window and sat in the chair again.  They removed the nutrition from his IV yesterday since he is now cleared to eat anyything he wants.  Since doing that though his blood sugar levels have been dropping.  This morning they were at 48 when they checked him and he had to drink a huge glass of orange juice to bring them up.  The docs say this is normal after you come off of that stuff because it has so much sugar in it.  When he started eating again his body had a hard time figuring out how much insulin to put out.  He has had another good breakfast and is still sitting up in the chair.  I hope to get another post in later today, thank you all so much for your constant prayers.

Love,
Kalyn and Josh

August 19, 2011 2pm

Today is Friday and one week since his surgery!  So many good things have happened and he is getting so much better.  Prayer is amazing and we really appreciate all the ones being said for us.  It's incredible to see how many good things have happened in a week.  We have seen and talked to the oncologist and the surgeon today and they both were happy he is doing so well.  His white count is still going up and his blood cultures for infection came back negative.  That means his body fought off the bacteria and infection.  He was cleared to eat whatever he wants, for lunch today he had chicken, rice, fruit, and some chocolate pudding!  He was so excited and ate about 40% of everything.  Josh was able to get up from the bed again and walk to the chair where he sat and ate his breakfast.  Occupational therapy is in here now and they are working with him just sitting on the side of the bed and balancing for a while.  I really hope that I have been able to express how thankful we are for all of you praying, loving, and supporting us.  We love each and every one of you, even if we do not know you.  I'll say it again...God is Good!!!

Much Love,
Kalyn and Josh

August 18, 2011 9:30pm

Okay so it's getting late and I'm getting a little lazy so I am going to list all the positives today and then list all our prayer requests.  I'm sure you'll all understand.

Positives today:
1)  He got his catheter removed.
2)  He has been eating and drinking really well.
3)  He stood and walked across the room and sat in the chair again for an hour.
4)  His white count is still coming up.
5)  He may get to go to a regular room as soon as tomorrow.

As I type this he is getting schooled on his ostomy bag, and learning how to empty it and take care of it.  He seems pretty tired and has had another long but progressive day!

Specific Prayer Requests:
1)  Thank God for every milestone and hurdle we accomplish.
2)  That his white count will continue to rise.
3)  That we will move to a regular room soon so he can see Embyr.
4)  Continue to open his heart up to God and his goodness.

Thanks everyone!
Kalyn

August 18, 2011 10am

Good morning everyone, Josh got some really good sleep last night and he had a really good bath.  He is looking so much better!  The oncologist came in this morning and let us know that his white count is up higher today and will keep climbing.  He may need a blood transfusion today or tomorrow because they really want to up his red blood cells to give him some more energy.  Yesterday he met his goal of standing and sitting in a chair, today his goal will be to walk across his room.  He is trying to drink his ensure and eat jell-o, he's doing it but feeling full and bloated afterward.  I'm sure his stomach is just trying to stretch back out after not having anything for 10 days.  Will let everyone know more as the day goes on.  My goal is to update the blog at least twice a day, maybe more as things get easier.

Kalyn

August 17, 2011 10pm

Okay so we have had a pretty good day today.  He did a lot in terms of physical therapy, he sat, stood, walked and then sat in the chair for about an hour total.  It really made him tired though.  Josh also got to start drinking water and ensure (not the best diet but, it will do!), he also gets to do clear liquids, jell-o, popsicles, and things of that nature.  He had some visitors and seemed very cheerful this afternoon.  They'll keep him on this diet for a while and slowly move to more solids.  The doctor this evening said his white blood count is starting to come up!  Our prayers are working, God is definitely at work here!

Lots of Love,
Kalyn

August 17, 2011 12pm

Quick update: Josh got one chest tube out today and has had physical therapy.  He sat on the edge of the bed and then took a few steps to the chair and sat for about an hour.  Last night the nurse told him he could have some hard candy, he was in HEAVEN when I gave him a mango tango hard candy.  He was also cleared to drink water today and have some ensure.  We have also been praying together which has truly touched my heart and definitely reassured my faith!  Will give more details later!

Lots of Love and Thanks!
Kalyn

August 16, 2011 3pm

Josh is napping finally, he's had a very long morning.  He got physical therapy twice which was kind of grueling, but he sat on the side of the bed and worked his arms and legs really well.  They took his nasal gastric tube out today (Embyr and all of us have been calling it his "trunk").  He felt so much relief with that thing out.  He has gotten a dose of lasiks today to help take all the extra fluid off his body.  He is such an amazing man and has been so sweet and thankful to everyone he encounters.  It looks like his temp has come down a little, and he is out of pain at this moment.

Specific prayer requests:
1) That his immune system will kick in soon.
2) That infection will be totally wiped away.
3) And that his heart will stay touched by God!

Many Thanks for all your love and prayers,
Kalyn

August 16, 2011 9am

Good morning everyone, Josh has had a sleepless night and was in quite a bit of pain. I didn't get much sleep either but am going to have my mom sit with him in a little while so that I can try to get more rest.  Things may not be progressing as quickly as we thought they would.  His chest tubes will have to stay in another day or two and his heart rate is elevated.  He also has a low grade fever, they are most likely going to keep him here another day or two.  We just got finished praying together, he asked me to say the words while he repeated them.  God is amazing and we have all the faith in the world that all the prayers and love are working in his favor.  We see a full healing in progress no matter how bad things look.

Thanks again for all the prayers and may you all be blessed!
Kalyn

Baby Update!

I have been feeling really stressed and have not been taking care of myself lately.  I went to my OB and got to hear the baby's heartbeat, 155 bpm, and everything looks great!

Kalyn

August 15, 2011 11:45am

        Boy have we had a good morning! Good news all around...he had a good night and got some good rest with some bouts of pain. I stayed the night and actually got a bit of sleep as well.  This morning before I left the oncologist came in and seemed very optimistic, he was very happy the tumors have shrunk from the chemo and informed us that Josh is still trying to fight infection but is actually doing well considering they didn't know if he would even make it through the surgery Friday.  I then went home to clean and shower and my best friend Shauna came and sat with him for me.  One of the surgeons came in while she was here and told her that they may move him out of ICU as early as tomorrow if everything still looks this good. They will also try to take the chest tubes out tomorrow as well! So excited

         On an even bigger note, Shauna and Josh had a great visit this morning which included the two of them praying together and Josh whole heartedly accepting Jesus into his heart. Amen!  If anyone knows Josh they know that he has struggled with his faith sometimes and we are just so ecstatic to know that he has made such a wonderful step in this journey! The peace that has come with this news is just so powerful, God is amazing and showing us miracles everyday!!

         He is going to be getting physical therapy starting at noon today to try and increase his strength, he's not too excited about it but he knows he needs it.  That being said, he is stubborn but we have seen such a change in him since last Monday!

Specific Prayer Requests at this time:
1) That the infection is complete removed fom his body.
2) His white blood cell and platelets count come up soon.
3) That he will get into a regular room tomorrow!

Thank you again for all of your prayers.  They mean so much to our family at this time!

Love,
Kalyn

August 14, 2011 5pm

I am sitting in Josh's room and finally watching him nap. He has had a very long day, he is seriously fighting and is looking good.  He is able to talk and communicate and let me know what he needs.  He is on a little oxygen and his lungs look good, they're saying they might take the drains from his lungs out tomorrow.  The doctors are all glad that he woke up and is doing so well...we are NOT out of the woods yet but I have faith that his stubborn, strong will will keep him fighting; along with all the prayers and Gods wonderful healing powers!  They have told us that he is still at high risk for infection and blood clots, they started him on antibiotics and something else to help with clots.  I am so thankful and amazed at all the outpouring of love, support, and prayers. I wish I could call each one of you personally and tell you how grateful we are. We are praying that infection and blood clots stay away, that his bowels will wake up, and for a full body healing. Please continue all your prayers!

Much, Much LOVE,
Kalyn

Update Aug 14, 11:40am

Our prayers have been answered. Josh opened his eyes this morning. The doctor has removed the breathing tube and Josh is breathing on his own. He is awake and is talking a little, but the doctor is trying to limit his talking because he is very sore. He's groggy and confused, but we are blessed he has made such great progress. Thank you to everyone for the prayers and kind words. And thanks to all of those who have visited Josh and his family while in the hospital. I firmly believe it is the outpouring of love and prayers from friends, family, acquaintances, and even strangers that has gotten Josh this far.

He is still recovering from the surgery and fighting the infection in his abdomen, and he still has a long road to a full recovery, but his current condition is a miracle for this family. Today is a great day!!! Please continue to pray.

Kelsey

August 13, 2011 9:45pm

Josh is doing pretty well, he made the first 29 hours and is stable.  He still has his intubation tube in but is thankfully breathing on his own.  They will try to take the tube out tomorrow and start trying to wake him up to see how he is feeling.  I know all our prayers are being heard and have been put into effect, what an amazing thing to watch.  It is still very critical but we have every hope that he will fight and we have faith that God will back him up.  Thank you all so much for your prayers and thoughts and please continue sending prayers his way. 

Thanks so much,
Kalyn

Update 9:45am

Thanks to everyone for all of your thoughts and prayers. We are so blessed and thankful that Josh made it through the night. News from the doctor this morning....his condition is now considered stable. The fluid is clearing from his lungs and that news is very promising, but he is still on the ventilator. The doctors have decided to leave him sedated today so he can rest and heal. More news will follow as we are updated by the doctors. Please continue to pray for small miracles. We are hopeful and confident that this battle is not over. Thank you all so much for your love and kindness. Kalyn and Josh are so blessed to have such a strong support in their family and friends. Keep praying!

Kelsey

August 13, 2011 9:08am

There have been no changes in Josh's condition at this time.

Specific Prayers...
1. White blood cells and platelet counts come up.
2. His lungs remain clear as fluid is being drained.
3. Body temperature and heart rate improve.
4. The infection to go away.

Thank you all for your prayers.

For inquiries on how to donate to Josh & Kalyn,
arrangements will be made...details will follow.

Posted by Chad

August 12, 2011 10:27 p.m.

Here is an update that someone shared on Kalyn's facebook page:

Updating for Kalyn: Josh had emergency surgery today, as he had what was thought to be an obstructed bowel. He has made it through surgery, but is currently on life support. Things are looking dire, and all thoughts and prayers are needed and appreciated. He had his first round of chemotherapy a few days ago, and his body will start responding to the treatment soon, compromising his immune system even more. Please pray for him, Kalyn, Embyr and their little baby on it's way.

Update from surgeon

Josh had a perforation in his intestine. He has a lot of infection and he has fluid on his lungs. Because of the infection the next 24 hours are critical. Josh is on full life support at this time.

Tessa

August 12, 2011 5:53 p.m.

Text from Jenna Josh's sister:

The doc just came and he will be out in fifteen minutes and is on full life support.  They said not much hope...

Continue to pray please.

August 12, 2011 2:33 pm

Text from Kalyn:

He's about to go in for surgery, they think he will survive it but maybe not the complications after.

I think it goes without saying PLEASE PRAY!

August 12, 2011 12:30 pm

I just talked with Kalyn.  Josh had an x-ray of his chest and abdominal area this morning.  The doctors are concerned that his small intestine is not working.  He will have an x-ray of his small intestine later today.  Josh is currently receiving nutritional supplements through his IV and the doctors have started him on antibiotics because his temperature has dropped and his heart rate is up.
The doctors think that the chemo and his lack of eating is partly to blame for his current condition.  He has a morphine pump to help with his pain and has been sedated for the majority of the day.  After the results from the x-rays and testing come back the doctors will determine a course of action.

Specific Prayer Requests:
1) That Josh's heart rate slows down and his temperature requlates.
2) That the doctors will find out what is causing the problems with his small intestine and determine treatment soon
3) Strength for Kalyn and Embyr and Wendy and Jenna (Josh's mom and sister)

Thank you for your prayers,
Tessa

Timeline in texts.

While this is not a complete timeline of all of the events that have occurred over the past month, it is all of the texts that I have received from Kalyn as things were being discovered and diagnosed.

Tessa

July 8, 2011
Josh is going in for a biopsy later today, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.  Will let everyone know how it went later.

Nevermind, everyone, he actually won't be getting the biopsy until Monday morning.

July 11, 2011
Josh had his biopsy this morning and is doing good.  We should know someting in the next couple of days.  Please keep up in your prayers.

July 12, 2011
I just wanted to let ya'll know that we got the test results a little bit ago and found out that Josh has Non Hodgkins Lymphoma.  The doctoer says it's the non agressive kind and Josh is eager to get healthy and fight it.  We still need lots of prayers and love and we appreciate all of the ones you've sent up already.

July 28, 2011
Josh had his bone marrow biopsy today and a CT scan and he did just fine.  We don't have any of the results yet but will let everyone know when we do.  Thanks for thinking and praying for Joshie!

August 2, 2011
Just wanted to give everyone an apdate, we heard back from the doctor today.  They told us that it (the cancer) has not spread to his lungs but is indeed in his bone marrow.  They also said that it looks like the tumors have not gotten any bigger and may have shrunk some.  They are keep him on a high dose of steroids for now and we have another appointment on the 16th of this month and hope to get chemo soon after the appointment.  I know our prayers are being heard, please continue to pray for Josh and a full recovery!

August 8, 2011
Hey everyone, I just wanted to give you all an update on Josh.  Last night he started having severe abdominal pains, I took him to St. Davids and the admitted us at 2:30 this morning.  They think he has a small bowel obstruction.  They are about to run more tests and try to keep his pain at bay.  Then we will have a surgical consult.  I will keep you posted as we find out more about what is going on.

Where to begin?

Good Morning All ~
It's Tessa, Kalyn's sister in law, I'm attempting to get this blog off the ground so that everyone can get updates on Josh as they come in.  Kalyn is exhausted as I'm sure Wendy and Jenna are also.  It's difficult to remember who has been updated, called, texted etc.  So in an effort to help keep family and friends as up to the minute as possible we will be adding posts to this blog for everyone to check.

Feel free to leave any comments, words of encouragment and prayers in the comments section.  We will leave this blog open to the public, rather than making it private, in an effort to make it acessible to everyone.

Thanks for supporting Josh and Kalyn and the family during this difficult time.

Tessa