One Saturday, Bruce was in Intensive Care fighting Septic Shock (for the 3rd time in 4 1/2 years) AND Covid, and the next, catching Sunnies down at our dock (attached pic)!  How does this happen?  Only by the Grace of God!  Thank you all for your prayers.  🙏❤️

We were back down in Rochester last week for followup appts after his hospitalization.  They discontinued the IV antibiotics and put him on another week of oral antibiotics.  They are now thinking that the infection in the pocket of fluid/abscess in Bruce's abdomen did seep up into what is left of his tailbone again causing another Osteomyelitis.  Easily done, because the abscess backs right up to his tailbone.  The only way to fix that is another big major surgery (removing the infected bone and attempting again to close up the void/abscess).   We are not ready for another big surgery at this point, so we are praying that the infection is slow growing.  The infectious disease team is being careful not to over treat this infection, though, so that the "bug" doesn't become resistant to the antibiotics. 

This abdominal abscess continues to cause problems.  Besides becoming infected, the volume of fluid had been building up and the JP drain was not draining it properly.  While in the hospital, he developed a "fistula".  The infected fluid had increased so much that the jp drain couldn't handle the output, so the fluid created another route to get out. 

Fistulas either heal on their own (taking up to a year or more), or are surgically closed up.  Again, not ready for another surgery, so we are managing it as best as we can. 

For now, the biweekly chemo & immunotherapy treatments  are still on hold while the infection is being treated.   

Praises:

~That Bruce has historically had a great attitude during this journey.  My heart swelled with pride as he lay there in the ICU talking with the 2 young nurses who were just starting their shift.  They just stood by his bed, enamored, listening to him talk about his cancer/infection/sepsis journey.  He told them, as he has told others, that even though he can't control all that happens to him, he CAN control his attitude and gratitude.  I couldn't help smile watching those two young, wide-eyed nurses, taking it all in and just nodding and repeating "attitude and gratitude" as if they'd never heard anything like that before.  

   I don't have an answer for why God has not healed Bruce (yet!), but I can look back and see the impact he has had on his doctors and nurses and technicians.  He is genuinely grateful for all they do and he lets them all know it.  

Please pray:

~Again, first and foremost, that God supernaturally heal him of ALL cancer and infections!

~But if not...                                                    that God prevent any growth or spread of the cancer during this time that Bruce is not getting chemo or immunotherapy. 

~For a resolution of the abscess and the fistula. 

~That there will be no lasting effects from the Sepsis and Septic Shock.  

~That Bruce's energy, strength and stamina will fully return soon.  

Thank you so much for your support and for your prayers! 🙏