Step 2....Check!

Well, I have officially completed step two of the treatment process. I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers over the past week and also extend holiday wishes to everyone. I AM SO GLAD TO BE AT HOME!!! The hospital stay was not too bad. There were ups and downs, but for the most part I was able to recuperate normally without serious set-backs. My surgeon is awesome!!! I am so amazed at what he and his team have been able to accomplish. Well, first I should say that I am amazed at the blessings of God and his creation, our bodies...then follow that with I am amazed with my surgeon. My body is so resilient. I cannot believe how well it handles such a traumatic event and adapts to its new configuration. Sure, it hurts and doesn't start out working perfectly, but my body has adapted well to the temporary bag.

I am finally regaining my appetite and eating solid foods. I am still staying away from the obvious disasters (spices, mexican, greasy, etc.), but most other things I can handle no problem. It certainly feels much better to be resting at home and not in that damn hospital bed. I swear I could never really get in a comfortable position in that bed! It is also really nice to see Stanley (my cat). I missed him and he missed me, which is obvious by his non-stop clinging to me wherever I go. If I am in the recliner, he is right there with me cuddled up and keeping me warm. He is slowly realizing that he cannot step on my stomach and rub faces with me, but he comes over from the arms of the chair instead.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a great holiday this year. I look forward to being back to 100% soon and back to my normal daily routines. My first follow-up appointment with the surgeon is next Thursday, but hopefully I will post before then.

Peace in the new year,
Josh

Josh is home!!!

Josh was discharged this morning and we got home about noon, which is the best Christmas present I've ever gotten, I think. He's set up in the recliner and enjoying watching our TV again. He'll be taking it easy and recovering for the next couple weeks. He says he will try to post again tomorrow maybe. Thanks to everyone who has encouraged us, prayed for us, and helped us out. And Merry Christmas!!!!

Doing Better

Well, Josh only threw up one more time yesterday after getting a shot of morphine. Today, he's eating jello and drinking water and they're going to try him on solid foods. They've taken out his catheter and the JP bag (drain from the incision) and taken him off the IV, so he is tube-free now. If he continues to do this well it sounds like he will definitely be discharged tomorrow. The main thing that's hurting him right now is gas. (I wanted to tell him "This, too, shall pass" but I don't think he would've appreciated my humor right now :). We had a kind of scary awakening this morning.... Josh woke up at 6 due to a really awful smell and then the fire alarms started going off. Apparently there was an electrical fire on the 3rd floor of the south tower of the building he is in (he's on 7th floor, north tower). We called the nurses' station after hearing the alarm and they said, "Oh don't worry, we don't have to evacuate, it's on a different floor." So we got up and located the nearest fire exit/stairway and made a plan to rip the IV out of Josh's hand and me follow him down the stairs carrying his catheter bag if necessary. Thankfully, it wasn't necessary. But it was kind of freaky to realize that that much air from a different floor/tower was coming into Josh's room. And also, apparently the fire was spreading to different floors.... first they said "emergency type F 3rd floor", then "5th floor" then "9th floor". Don't ask me how it was jumping floors. Anyway... hopefully no one was hurt. What a way to start the day!