Home and doing GREAT!

I had a great birthday tons visited me in the hospital and thanks to those who came and spent my birthday with me it really means a lot. I got some really great gifts from my family and friends that I cant thank them enough they are great!

Saturday morning I was released from the hospital WOOHOO I am so happy to be home and in my own bed. I have four new types of meds I am on now including an inhaler which I think is really helping me. Saturday at home was crazy its like coming home from vacation and unpacking and cleaning for hours I have to say I tried to help Holly as much as I could but I was pretty tried. As soon as I got to my house I went right for the SHOWER it was such a relief. When I was in the shower my hair just came out in clumps so I called my sister to have her bring the clippers over to shave my head so I am now a bald chemo kid once again. My nephew also got his hair shaved for the first time in 2 years he had such long hair now he looks just like uncle Joe. 

Today I am doing great again I feel a million percent better! I went out for a little bit today went to my Aunt Cheryl's for a cookout for my new cousins goodbye party hes going to Iraq for 12 months in May so please pray that he comes back to my cousin Elizabeth and his family safe. I did have tickets to the blue jackets game but decided to pass as I just wanted to get some rest because tomorrow I will be returning to Children's for a chemo it will only be the day chemo and I will be back home in the afternoon. 

Please continue to pray the prayer really do help.

Joe 

Things have to get worse before they get better

Yesterday was not a good day, I didn't have positive notes from the doctors and I wasn't feeling or having any good progress. They took an Xray of my lungs and it was actually worse then the one they did a couple of days ago. I'm feeling really upset because I have been working so hard to fight this virus. The doctors are now unsure what I have again so they started me back on antibiotics and the lung doctors have but me on this machine that shakes me like crazy to shake up the infection in my lungs. My cell/blood count is not to good and is going up slow. I have not gotten chemo for a while now and that also makes me upset. Holly visited me for the first time in 3 days since she has also been really sick, she came on her lunch and she couldn't have came at a better time she turned my day around for me and started making me feel better. 

Today I have been doing a lot better, I got out of bed today and walked I have been doing all my breathing treatments and then more I have really been working hard and feeling really better today. So like the saying goes things always get worse before they get better. I have been on oxygen ever since I came in a week ago and tonight was the first night I have not had to have it on so as long as I can stand to be without oxygen I have a good chance I will be out of the hospital real soon.

Tomorrow is my 22nd birthday and my first birthday spending it in the hospital its a bummer but I am lucky I have not had to be in the hospital for holidays and other important days so ill take one for the team. Holly and my in-laws come up tonight and decorated my room its really nice gives it some character. 

Thank you all for the support and prayers keep them up because they are working!!

Joe

Upper Respiratory Infection

Today they have found that what I have is an Upper Respiratory Infection. It is a virus and they are trying to do everything they can to treat it, the doctors say I should be doing a lot better by Monday its kind of a waiting game at this point. I still did not receive my Chemo today which I am upset about but since I have an infection they are not allowed to give it to me. I also have not been able to break my fever its been in the 103 to 101 all day. I will be in the hospital all weekend. I also gave the infection to Holly so she is allowed up to see me since she has the same thing but she has to wear a mask every where.

Please continue to pray for my friend Ryan Salmons as him and his family are going though a hard time right now.

Joe Friend

A hard time right now

Okay. This is Joe's first post but it really isn't because its me Holly his wife doing this for him. Right now Joe is have a hard time with a lot. He just came in for chemo today to have his outpatient chemo where he goes home after he receives it but he has been battling the flu bug on top of the chemo so it does make anything easy. He has been running a temperature all day and has yet to break. He will probably be spending the weekend at the hospital. Please pray that his fever breaks and he can go home and get some rest! He has also been really upset by the news of Ryan salmons our friend that we have both grown close too. Please give your thoughts and prayers to Ryan and his family while they go though the hardest time in there lives. Ryan is such a amazing young man that has never stopped fighting. Visit my blog www.hollyfriend.blogspot.com to hear what me and Joe both think of Ryan.

They did chest x-rays on Joe's lungs to make sure that they were fine and they are perfect!! Which is great news. We will take what we get! Joe is still in good spirits & we are doing everything we can right now to keep him that way because we know Ryan would never want Joe to give up! 

Our thoughts and prayers are with Ryan and his family.

We love you Ryan and you never ever refused to lose!!!

Joe. aka holly lol

Here is a picture of when we first met ryan.

Brad, Ryan, Joey, Holly, Doug & Lori