Help Josh Get His Surgery

We have a new surgery date from what is below in the original description.  The new date is 10.14.16, and we now have the full pre-op appointment scheduled for 10.3.16.  They gave us a date that was further out, but THEY GAVE US A DATE!!!  

You know those people who are always there when you need help, regardless of time of day or even how well they know you?  Josh is one of those people, and his answer for why he helps is always the same: “It’s what we do.  We help each other.”  Now Josh needs help.  He has been living with a cyst over his spine that has been growing over time, and we NEED to get it taken care of.

                 To help you get an idea of the size and position, here is info he posted about it:

               “Imagine if you will, taking your fist and sliding it under the skin between your shoulder blades, directly above your spine. Now extend your fingers through the muscle and over your left shoulder blade. That's about where I am right now. That is about the size and spread of it. That is what I have been dealing with for going on a month now.”

                In working to get this taken care of, Josh has had to wait: for consultations, for ultrasounds, to hear back about results, to get information about scheduling.  During the waiting, the cyst has continued to grow.  Due to its size and location, what was initially thought to be a possible outpatient procedure to remove the cyst has now become more complex.  In order to PROPERLY remove the cyst so that it will not return, he has to go through an OR.  This means it is a full-on surgery with general anesthesia and the whole nine yards.  “[The surgeons] will go in, scrape everything out, surgically remove all of the cyst wall, and then close me up,” Josh explained.  Sounds pretty simple.  The crucial part is the removal of the cyst wall. “If it is removed completely then all will be good and I won't have to worry about this cyst returning. This is why I want to go through the OR instead of just finding someone who is willing to drain it. (Which may be difficult if they review the ultrasound.) Just draining it means that it will just be back within a year. Possible much sooner. Like a month or two as it could just start refilling with fluid.”

                The added complexity meant waiting to hear about available dates and surgeons.  We got a potential date, but we also learned that because the surgery will be self-pay rather than insurance-pay, and is not deemed life-threatening, we have to pay for the surgery before it happens.  We have a potential date of October 5th, but we will most likely lose that date if we cannot come up with the money by Wednesday, 9.21.16, and then there will be more waiting, and the cyst will continue to grow.  As it stands right now, the surgery will cost approximately $4,000.  There will also be time needed away from work in order for him to heal properly.

                We need to get him this surgery sooner rather than later.  Not only is he unable to use his left arm if the movement is higher than his elbow (the pain is just too intense, and if you know Josh, you know he can normally push through nearly anything), but he hasn’t slept even remotely decently for over a month: “I cannot sleep, so I am constantly exhausted. Beyond exhausted really. Last night I got maybe 2 hours sleep and I don't think I ever hit REM sleep. I think I've hit REM sleep maybe twice a week this past month. I can barely use my left arm because of the pain. The longer I stand the more gravity hurts so even though I try to do as little as possible at work, I'm practically dead by end of shift. And I still can't sleep. The less I sleep the more my head and eyes hurt. I'm angry, crabby, and snappy all the time right now. That isn't fair to those around me, even if they understand why I am being an ass. I have to get this resolved.”

                To be able to see Josh back to his normal self, including actually being able to sleep til (and past!) noon and getting REAL sleep, doing the things he loves like working in his woodshop, playing with the dog, and doing stuff outside; to be able to hug him without being terrified that even that simple touch will bring immense pain; to receive a hug in return: these are all things I look forward to and I will be so deeply grateful once this surgery and his healing have happened ( I know he will, too!).

                We are hoping to be able to at least cover the surgery. If we can cover a little more than that to help him with some recovery time: great!  If we go beyond that, we will donate the rest to charity, so your  money WILL be used for healing and helping even if it is not part of what pays for Josh’s needs.