Hi Friends,

We have started this site as a way to share information with our friends and family.  Let me start by saying thank you to all of you who have reached out and followed us through this journey so far.

I will provide  a quick summary here and provide additional details further below. Chin had had his right leg amputated to just above the knee.   At this time he is recovering and has been moved to National Rehab Hospital where he is getting intense physical and occupational therapy.  We are awaiting an evaluation by the team to get details on just how long he will need to stay in the rehab facility before coming home. 

Here are some additional details...Chin has been in the hospital for 8 weeks so far.  He was admitted to Medstar Washington Hospital Center in late February 2021.  He was originally going to hospital for a quick outpatient procedure and was to be coming home that evening.  Going into surgery we asked the surgeon to look at his foot.  For about four weeks leading up the procedure Chin's foot had become discolored and we were concerned gangrene could be forming.  Despite many teams of doctors telling us it was not gangrene it turns out that he did have a very aggressive form of gangrene called gas gangrene which eats away at bone and tissue at a very aggressive rate.  Because of this condition Chin ended up needing to have 3 toes amputated.  Following the surgery the surgical team notified us that leaving two toes on the foot was not what they considered a functional amputation and that Chin would need to have a surgery to amputate the remaining two toes on his right foot.  Shortly after of his toes were amputated the surgical team noticed that the skin that would be used to close the wound was dying and would be viable to use to close the wound.  After consolation with with a plastic surgery team it was determined that Chin would need additional amputation in order for the wound to be properly closed.   Thus Chin was taken back into surgery for a below the knee amputation.  After this surgery he was left with a stump about 9 to 12 inches below his knee.  The stump was able to be closed and Chin was on the mend.  Shortly thereafter Chin was sent to the National Rehab Hospital to begin acute rehab.  Unfortunately just two days after being transferred to the rehab facility Chin was rushed back to the hospital because of additional infection manifesting itself in his amputation site.  Shortly after this we were told that Chin would need additional amputation resulting in an above the knee amputation.  And that's where we are today.  Chin's above the knee amputation has been complete for about 10 days now.  As I said above he was recently transferred to National Rehab Hospital where he is receiving at least three hours a day of intense therapy.  

Chin is in good spirits and ready to tackle the road to recovery that is ahead of him.  He wants you each to know that he appreciates all the good thoughts, prayers and well-wishes.  He is fighting hard to be back home and to continue he journey through this recovery.

I will be using this site to keep you updated on Chin's progress.  I am not sure how often I will get to post as there are ton of things that need to get sorted out and organized here at home to prepare for his return.  But I will post here about important milestones and other fun updates.  Thanks again for caring about both of us and for sharing in our journey to our new normal.