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