Post Surgery Update

I know everyone has been anxious for an update on Josh. As you might imagine, a lot has been happening and it’s been hard for Colleen to find the time to contact people but she has been grateful for all the kind and encouraging messages and prayers.

With regard to the surgery, the main surgeon said that it was way more complicated than he had anticipated but that a lot of things turned out better than he thought.

They were able to remove the entire tumor but the tumor had perforated the bladder and they expect there to be a micro-spillage of cells. This was something they were unable to see on the MRI. Thankfully, he did not need the plastic surgery component because they were able to get enough healthy stomach tissue to fill the gap left by the removal of other organs.

Josh and Colleen have gotten feedback from other surgeons praising the skill and effort of the main surgeon saying that most wouldn’t have even attempted the surgery. Praise God that he did!!!

Last night, while Josh was in recovery, he experienced severe pain in his left leg even though he was on pain meds. They discovered two blood clots: one behind his knee and the other in his groin. This was pretty serious and they wanted to act quickly as they were trying to save his leg. Colleen was able to see him for a few moments before he was taken in for a second surgery last night which took a couple of hours. The vascular surgeon was able to stent both areas. Blood flow still wasn’t great and the surgeon discovered a problem area around where the tumor was removed. He was able to fix that and all seems well now.

He has been awake and in good spirits today. Colleen said his sense of humor is back. He expressly wants our church to be encouraged by the power of prayer. Many things to praise God for.

Life going forward:

Good news-he had the nephrostomy tubes removed.

Good news-His surgeon said his hospital stay will be anywhere from 7-10 days instead of 2-3 weeks.

He now has an ileal conduit and a colostomy bag.

The micro spillage of cells will mean that he will need regular checkups to monitor his condition.

It is likely that he will need a follow up round of chemo.

The Winans are hopeful that Josh’s quality of life will improve significantly. He is excited to get back involved in ministry since he has missed church life greatly.

Thank you for all the prayers that have upheld them during this time. Please continue to pray for his healing as the road to recovery is long. Pray for the entire family: for encouragement, hope, joy, perseverance and peace.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!