Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know that things are continuing to progress. Josh is off the respirator and breathing through the trach with assistance of extra oxygen.


PT is continuing...he's stood a couple more times, but it is still a slow progression.

He's doing more communicating through sign language, and hopefully he will be talking sometime this week.

Trach

Josh got his tracheostomy (that's the name for the tube placed during the tracheotomy). A surgeon placed it yesterday afternoon, without problem. It was a "simple" (meaning simple to the professionals) procedure and only took about 1/2 hour.

So, he FINALLY has all of the tubes out of his mouth! That doesn't mean he can talk yet, though. That will come with more time. The tube in there before caused trauma (as expected), and his vocal cords need time to recover. The wheening process has already begun, and should go more smoothly with the trach.

Physical therapy has also gotten more advanced. Today he sat up for a short time on his own, and he even stood up!! This is a huge step, and hopefully represents all of the improvement to come.

We have met some amazing people during our "camping trip" in the ICU waiting room. The people come and go, some with better news than others, but they all have a special place in our hearts. Our prayers are with all of you, and thank you for your support.

Special thanks to Trevor and Logan! Remeber when I told you about them doing chores to raise money for a bracelet? Well, they've done it again! This time they sent a wonderful care package for the kids. Thanks you guys, Jake and Caily loved receiving the package!!!

I have a very special prayer request. There is a special young man around 15 years old who is going through a very rough time. He, too, is on a ventilator, with major problems. His name is Michael, and he could use prayers for overall health, and extra prayers for his organs (kidneys, lungs and immune system especially). Thanks!

not yet

Josh didn't end up getting the trach this morning, as scheduled. He was doing really well, and full of strength. The Dr. took him off all pain meds to make sure that all of his efforts were able to focus on breathing. Josh did his best, but there was still too much strain. Trach plans are again in the works. Looks like this may be another blessing in disguise, but I just hope he can get the trach soon (tomorrow).

Now Josh is back on some of the pain meds, and is resting. Much of his pain comes from the discomfort of the respirator along with an oral-gastric (OG) tube going down his throat.

That's really it for now, he was very alert and responsive today. Vitals are holding strong.

hanging in there

As you all know, this has been a very rough ride...and the ride continues. We've been trying to get that ventilator out since Saturday, but to no avail. Josh can go most of the day breathing on his own, but a some point he loses oxygen and the machine has to be turned back on. Because of this Josh is going to have a tracheotomy to allow him to have breathing assistance for a longer period of time. It is also easier to wheen him of this because it can be easily put in and taken out.

Please say a prayer that this surgery goes well. It will take place tomorrow.

In the mean time Josh is awake and communicates with finger spelling and hand squeezing. Although his strength is much better, he still has a hard time staying awake and comfortable for very long.

As I think I mentioned before, his top layer of skin is peeling off, causing great discomfort. Plus he has general pain from all of the trauma.

Keep those prayers coming!

holding stable

Things have been pretty stable, which is a good sign.

They tried weening Josh off the ventilator today, but after a few hours it was too much strain. They will try again tomorrow. I really hope that it can come out tomorrow. Josh is doing such a wonderful job at building his strength. He does exercises, and practices different movements. Of course, we all already know that he is really strong.

For unity of prayer, we have decided to all say the same prayer at 6:30pm (Tucson time, of course) tomorrow, tuesday. The prayer is the one mentioned before:

"O God of heavenly powers, by the might of your command you drive away from our bodies all sickness and all infirmity: Be present in your goodness with your servant Josh, that his weakness may be banished and his strength restored; and that, his health being renewed, he may bless your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. "


Source: Book of Common Prayer 1979


Thanks!

Thank you all for the wonderful prayers, and support. We have had such wonderful friends who bring us constant meals, entertainment, and just dwindle away the time with us. We have even had all but three of Josh's elementry school teachers come to visit! THANK YOU!

Josh is slowly recovering. Respirator is still in, and is a major prayer area. Please pray that his muscles recoup very soon, so that he can breathe on his own. Josh is awake a lot now, and we've been doing a little bit of muscle practices with him. He is going to need some physical therapy, though. His body has been through a lot, and his muscles took a hit. He is trying so hard, though. Of course, we all know that Josh is really good at exercising.

This skin thing from yesterday does seem to be an effect of everything put together. Basically, the chemo burned him from the inside out, and now his skin is peeling.

Prayers:
Strong muscles
Ventilator out
That the chemo still in his body can continue to fight the cancer.

More...

I don't have much time, but I want to keep you updated.

Things are moving along with a few glitches along the way. Currently Josh's skin is reacting to something and causing blisters. A dermatologist is headed over right now, so hopefully she will confirm that it is simply a response to the Xigris (the drug he was on) or the Sepsis.

He is off all of the blood pressure medicines and off of sedation. He still has a fever and is still sick, so his consciousness is strained. He's currently practicing on moving muscles, so that he will be strong enough to get off the respirator. Baby steps. He's given each of us a little hand squeeze and a wave. He knows we're there, and can respond to that.

Much thanks to God for the healing thus far.

news from the ICU

Things have started looking up. Yesterday Josh's WBC was 7.1!

Tuesday and wednesday were stable days, hopefully allowing his body to heal. Last night things went well, and fever came down (with the help of a "cooling cloud") and so did some of the medications. Josh has been responsive, wiggling toes and squeezing hands on command.

If things continue as is, the respirator should come out this weekend. Josh will have to be awake for that, so it will be nice to get to talk with him.

There have been some blood clotting complications, but nothing real serious. His body has been very swollen, but that has started to subside. Pray that things continue at a steady pace.

As you pray for Josh's healing, please say an extra prayer for Jake and Caily. They really miss their daddy, and are anxious to see him.

Thanks for the prayers and postings, I will pass them along to the family.

P.S. If you have ordered a bracelet, please be patient. Crystal and I are working hard on getting them done. All of the commotion has made it difficult to keep up. We will get them to you, I promise. Thanks for understanding.

up and down

I don't have much time, but I want you to konw how things are going.

Yesterday was one of the toughest days ever. Yesterday was the Miracle of Fatima, and I think she helped us out and gave us a miracle. Josh made it through a really tough time. He's surprising even doctors.

White Blood Count up to 4.4! This is a great, that means it is climbing. Now we need to pray that while that number increases, those WBcells fight, fight, fight!! They need to take over for the drugs, and fight this infeciton out of his body.

Please continue those prayers, Josh needs them, and they are helping us to get thorough this. focuse prayers on WBcells, strength, steady heart beat and steady blood preassure.

continued prayers

Thank you so much for all of your support and prayers. We feel it. This fight continues to be a roller coaster. Josh is doing his best to fight this, but this is one nasty infection.

This doesn't help much now, but the party is cancelled. I guess Josh just doesn't like the spotlight off of him, so all parties are suspended awaiting permission directly from Josh.

As he continues this fight, he needs your prayers. I hope to update with good news soon. In the meantime, we are all living in the NW ICU waiting room.

PRAY!

Thank you all so much for all of your prayers, we feel them and Josh feels them. He needs prayer now more than ever.

Some of you know, but I wanted to let ALL of you know. This has been a very rough week, and yesterday was a VERY ROUGH day. Josh's body was having a hard time fighting everything, but his spirit kept this in line. His body was in septic shock. His heart beat was about 170 beats/min for about 4 hours, with an extremely low blood pressure. Josh is on a ventilator and sedated as a precaution. They didn't want to consider an emergency situation, where the ventilator would need to be put in. So, they put it in to regulate his breathing and make sure his breaths are deep. Late last night they started him on a new drug that fights septic shock. Please pray that is does its job without complications.

His heart rate is down to the mid 120's and his blood pressure has come up. His high fever is slowly coming down.

We always knew Josh had a BIG heart! We just didn't know how strong it would be. That heart kept him alive. It was strong enough to endure a marathon runners fastest pace for a long time. I think all of his wrestling, football and rugby helped to condition him for this task.

I will try to update when I can. We are all in the 1st floor ICU waiting room (only immediate family is allowed to see Josh right now). I came home to clean up because I felt Josh was in a good place. I'm heading back there right away, and we will probably be there for a couple more days.

I JUST spoke with my mom as she came out of Josh's room. She said he is looking better. His body is starting to function better. White Blood counts are still VERY low. Prayers of thanks and continued healing are requested.

"O God of heavenly powers, by the might of your command you drive away from our bodies all sickness and all infirmity: Be present in your goodness with your servant Josh, that his weakness may be banished and his strength restored; and that, his health being renewed, he may bless your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. "


Source: Book of Common Prayer 1979

So now we know

We now know what is causing all of the ruckus and pain. It turns out that the chemo has affected Josh’s intestines a bit more than we had imagined. The chemo actually burned the insides of the small intestine, and now the lining of the inner wall has been coming out through his ileostomy (he got this back in February, and is reversible), and causing pain as it does so. Because there is bile and bacteria in the intestines, it is agitating the parts without lining. This is causing fever and infection. So, please, please, continue those prayers. It should take a week or two in the hospital to recover from this. His white blood counts (WBC) need to come up and start fighting on their own, and then the intestinal lining will begin to rebuild itself. Because his WBC are so low, he is susceptible to infection and we ask that Josh has no visitors, and no flowers.

The doctors and nurses at Northwest Medical Center are doing a wonderful job, and we thank them so much for their caring and support for Josh.

We are still going to be having the graduation celebration this weekend, but unfortunately, Josh will not be able to make it.

Graduation

As many of you know, Crystal is graduating from Tucson High next week. We will be celebrating this on Sunday, May 16. Many of you should have already gotten your invitation and announcement.

I just want to let you know that we had a little technical difficulty. The invitation says the party is at Casa Molina, and in the last couple of days they changed their name. It is now called "El Chilito" (the sign is green) so please don't be confused. It is located on the West side of Thornydale, North of Orangegrove.

This will also be a celebration of my Dec '03 graduation from the U of A (as you know, the previous party was cancelled).

Change is good

Obviously, I changed the look of the page...you are at the right place...hope you like it!

The battle continues

OK, so I realize that in my last update I didn’t make it at all clear that Josh got to go home from the hospital. He went home last Monday and was feeling great. Then chemo came, and as it often does, knocked Josh off his feet. On top of that, he seems to have gotten another sort of infection, and he headed back to the hospital early, early this morning. They are not quite sure where the infection originated, and so he is on a slew of antibiotics and cultures of different areas are being tested. We should have a better answer at the end of this week. Please say a prayer that this infection passes quickly. It is a rough one, and Josh has his work cut out for him.

Thankfully, Josh is absolutely the toughest person that I know, and he can take a lot. I don’t think that this cancer had any idea who it was dealing with when it decided to attack Josh (and the Allen family, at that!!). Especially with all of the support of everyone reading this site. So, please, keep up with the prayers, they are appreciated and needed.

What a trooper!

Josh has done such a great job through all of this. On Friday, he headed back to the hospital with the same problem from last week (seemed to be some sort of blockage). After many tests, it seems that it is nothing of major concern, and it should work out as long as Josh is careful with what he eats. In order to supplement his nutrition, Josh will be back on TPN (remember it from January?? basically, IV nutrition in a bag). This should help him to add weight and give him the strength to get in good shape for the BIG surgery in July.

Josh will be having yet another round of chemo and Avastin this Wednesday-Friday (the chemo will continue in this manner until mid June). Please pray that the side effects be minimal.

I have finally added some new pictures. It's a simple layout, but it does the job! I hope that you all enjoy!
You may click here to see the pics, or click the link on the right.