LIFE/Health Update
Good Morning Dear Friends and Loved Ones from Skyline Hospital by way of Centennial Hospital!
First, thank you always for your constant love and support our me and our family. I wanted to share a life update with you concerning my health as it’s been a whirlwind of a week.
For the last couple week, I had been sick with “plumbing issues” to put it nicely. I started on the tail end of our family trip to the North. The day we left for home July 26, the plan was to go to church in Michigan and then after church head home. The day before Rena and I decided it would best just to leave early Sunday Morning to give us plenty of time to get home. RIGHT we were about that decision as it took closer to 12 hours to get home than the normal 8. Not only was I sick to my stomach, but Rena has been dealing significantly with her sciatic nerve which caused her to spend a while night in the ED department one night while in Michigan.
We made it home and for the next 3 days, I stayed home, close to my room because I was just sick. Chalked it all up to a stomach bug or similar (NO, I did not eat any shredded lettuce or Taco Bell for that matter while we were in Michigan.). I started feeling some better by the weekend and even hosted a prayer session at one of our local schools. By Saturday nigh, I was sick to my stomach again and was up most of the night. I missed church the next day (after missing the previous two due to family getaway time) and stayed home and just rested. Come Wednesday, July 5th, I felt some better and decided to shoot for a normal day. I got up and took a shower only the recognize I was turning yellow – LIKE HOMER SIMPSON YELLOW. After freaking out a bit, I grabbed my keys and made my way to the Centennial ER in Nashville.
After several tests and a couple procedures, it became evident that something was wrong with my gallbladder and bile duct – both having stones and blocking passageway – hence the Home Simpson look. What was also determined is that I have a mass on my pancreas and that it needed to be biopsied to see exactually what we’re dealing with.
Moving forward… I had two more procedures scheduled: an EUS to biopsy the mass on my pancreas and AN Endoscopy to place a stent to help unblock the traffic jam that has become my gallbladder and duct. Sadly, only the biopsy was able to be complete and that I would need to be transferred to another hospital for a difference procedure because they couldn’t get through with just the regular scope. This all happens on Friday. Come Monday, August 10, I’m finally transferred at 11:30pm. It was a super long weekend. Technically, I got to me new room about 12:15am Tuesday Morning. After what may have amounted to 45 minutes of sleep, I finally had my Surgery yesterday morning about 10:30am. This surgery was a bit more invasive as the surgeon has to break through the skin, go through my liver, clear the gallbladder jams, place a stent, and then insert a draining tube (which is just plan weird). I’m have a bit a pain especially near were the work was done – the incision area.
I got back to my room about 2ish and around 4pm, the pathology report came through. NO CANCER! TO GOD BE THE GLORY! Yet, what is puzzling is that the biopsy came back all pancreas… do did my pancreas decided to grow a thumb? Who knows! HOWEVER, regardless as to what is is/was, it can’t stay because it’s encroaching on to by bile duct causing traffic issues. THIS will require a rather larger surgery to be performed by a Oncology Surgeon where he will remove a portion of my pancreas, which then dictates that a small portion of my stomach intestine be removed, and rerouting everything back together. I sounded like to me that everything has to be proportionate and a small portion of both the pancreas and stomach intestine needs to be removed. This surgery won’t happen for at least a few weeks or more as I will have this draining tube for at least 2 weeks and all that needs to time to heal.
IF YOU MADE IT THIS FAR IN THE UPDATE, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! THANKS FOR READING!
I say all the about to say, I know God has blessed me with some wonderful people and a support group LIKE YOU who have been keeping up with us, supporting us with either a meal, a card, etc., and have been praying intently for us! While is a completely different animal from AML Leukemia, it’s still a big hurdle and it’s made things stressful and hard. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND CONTINUED SUPPORT!
AS FOR THE LEUKEMIA! ALL IS STILL TRENING UPWARD! My blood counts look great and even my stubborn platelet numbers are gaining ground! This December, I will enter my FITH AND FINALL YEAR of recovery and the focus remains of rebuild strength and immunity. TO GOD BE THE GLORY! What’s even cooler is that my Oncologist, Dr. Battiwalla (whom I love dearly) while he’s involved mainly with Blood Cancers, has my chart and is already talk to his colleagues about what’s needed for the surgery that needs to take place. AGAIN, TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
In this last week I’ve been able to have some absolutely incredible conversations with the medical staff here and at Centennial – I believe some God ordained conversations… WHICH HAS MADE THIS WEEK’S JOURNEY WORTH THE LIVING!
I’ll stop for now, but please know how much are you loved and appreciated for everything you have done for me and my family! PLEASE DON’T STOP! YOU ARE LOVED!
For God’s Glory, PastorPusch
Eric J. Puschmann
Many are asking where they can send support, these are the two best options:
Eric and Rena Puschman
5411 Mapel Creek Drive
Smyna, TN 3717
OR
VENMO:
