What a day.....

I was reading back on what I have posted and I actually cant believe I havent mentioned this...I am saying its Chemo brain and I am sticking to that.

The week of my followup visit with my surgeon, September 5th I believe, I developed an abcess on my insision site. It opened up maybe 3" deep and 2.5" long. For the next few weeks, we kept it packed with gauze as it healed from the inside. To watch new skin grow was real amazing.

The abcess healed up to 2 very small holes that were "tunneling" somewhere. Since I was cleared to start chemo by both my surgeon and onc and wanting to get this phase of my life behind me, I went and started. During the healing time I was placed on 2 different antiboitics, kyoflex for 10 days and cipro for 27 days.

The few days after my 1st chemo session, the drainage changed from body fluid to a yellow green substance, yummy. I was kinda concerned to say the least. We made a trip to the Onc's office to be checked out. The nurse feared the drainage was coming from a pocket under what was already healed. I was sent for an imediate ultrasound on October 9th. If any pockets were found, chemo would stop, I would be opened back up to remove the infection. The result of the ultrasound...no pocket and I am not pregnant....thank you Jesus!

After this past weekends treatment, a new ingrediant was added to the drainage...a great smell.....now we were really worried. Smell=infections...or so I have been told. I was running no temp and I actually felt decent.....

Fast forward to last night...I started experiencing severe right side lower abdominal pain. It was hard just to get out of the recliner. I checked my temp and had a mild fever...great....now what?

Today, the pain was a bit better, but I made the appointment with the Doc JUST in case. After seeing the nurse at the Onc's office, she felt the infection was tunneling from the right side of my abdomen, just where my pain was. I was sent to the Wound Center for more specialed care.

The Dr there measured the dept of the tunnels and was shocked how deep they went. He numbed me up and removed the skin between each hole, easier to heal one place than two. Then the real prodding began...a pocket of the yellow stuff was found and drained and guess what? Instant relief to my lower belly! He kept irrgating the area with saline until it was coming out clear. A mix of bleach and water was put in next to set for 10 min and then drained.

To be sure there was no others hiding somewhere...I was sent for a CT scan. If something large was seen, back to surgery it would be. The last place I really wanted to spend Thursday night. While waiting for the results, I continued to ask God to get me and Brenda through this. God is still on the throne and he hears our prayers. No large infection was found!

I was sent home after spending over 10 hours at the Cancer center/Wound Center/Hospital. To say it was a long day is an understatement. I am on a horse pill of an antiboitic, 875mg! Plus we have to irrigate the site 2 times a day. But this is a step in the right direction.

My wound care Doc and my surgeon will be talking tomorrow to see "if" I need to be opened any more. So I am not out of the "additional surgery required" window. Please my friends, I covet your prayers, I just am not ready for more surgery......

My chemo treatments will be placed on hold to allow me the time I need to completly heal. So it looks like I will get a month break. Not to happy about that but I still know God has a plan. What? I still have no idea. I was able to share my Faith with a few people in waiting room. Maybe someone there needed to hear what God has done for me?

My fellow FIGHTERS....I pray for you daily. We will defeat this beast.

Believe,

Kevin