January Visit

I put in my last health update that I will return to Cincinnati on January 10th for some follow up surgery.  I thought I'd fill you guys in so you can be praying for specifics.  I just want to say at this point that all of your prayers and support mean more to me than I could ever communicate to you all individually.  I thank our Father for his love and for providing so many wonderful friends and my family.  I know I couldn't get through this if it weren't for all of you.

When I return the docs will do a CT scan to check on several things.  They will want to check for any cancer, review an inflamed lymph node that showed up on the CT scan I had done here in Mexico a month ago, and check the healing and fusing of my new jaw bone.  There is currently a metal plate that is holding my new jaw bone (formerly known as my leg bone) to my residual jaw.  That has been a source of infection.  During my surgery they will remove it and if the bone is fused enough then they won't have to replace it.  If the healing isn't as far as they would like it to be then they will put a new metal piece in my jaw to stabilize it.  They will also trim down some of the tissue in my mouth and do some touch up (cosmetic) work on my face as well.  The surgery is outpatient but I'm not sure at this point how long I will need to stay in Cincinnati.

Please pray for the surgery.  Pray specifically for the healing and fusing of my new jaw bone so that I won't have to get a new piece of metal put in which would mean another surgery to remove that piece.  I didn't consider myself vain before this but I've realized that I'm a little worried about what I'll look like at the end of this whole ordeal.  Pray for my heart and the doc's hands as they repair my face.  Pray also for this infection to go away quickly and the healing of my suture lines and neck and jaw muscles.