A Day for Josh

Penny from Papanui

I saw this on face book & asked permission to share this with Neighbourly .

Here is this young man's story:
On 5/3/2016 Josh woke with a sore neck, as the day progressed it wasn't improving.
Sunday 6/3/2016 Josh was admitted to Christchurch hospital as his sore neck was affecting his feeling in his finger tips and causing tingling in his hands.
As the day progressed and doctors came 1 after another they still were not sure what they were dealing with.
Neuro were then called to do an exam by this stage the pins and needles had gotten worse and affecting his arms. Neuro advised to stay a few days to run a few tests.
As the night progressed Josh had lost more feeling in his body. It was then suggested by the medical team to admit Josh to I.C.U due to the pins and needles affecting his breathing, by this stage Josh had lost all body functions. As it carried on through the day by early hours on the 8/3/2016 Josh was put into an induced coma for 5 days keeping him comfortable while they ran tests.
At this stage they thought MS or transvere mylitis they weren't sure what they were dealing with.
When Josh woke from coma he was paralysed from the neck down by this stage the doctors had MRI, blood results etc.
They were pretty sure by this stage he had tranverse mylitis so they prepared him for a plasma exchange of the antibodies in the spinal cord this duration ran over a course of 5 days.
Transverse mylitis is a neurological disorder caused by inflammation across both sides of one level, or segment of the spinal cord. Josh was still on the vent to assist his breathing and still had no movement the doctors then made the decision to do a tracostomy in the windpipe to assist with breathing, this stayed in till he was able to breathe for himself.
After 25 days of being in ICU he was then transferred to Burwood spinal unit for rehabilitation.
On the 14th April his tracostomy was removed he was then after pro longed assistance able to breathe for himself.
As the rehab continued through Joshua's journey it has not really progressed where he would of liked to have been, he has arm movement and very little hand and finger movement and is in a wheel chair.
Before Josh was diagnosed with this illness he was living at home with my family and i, we are very close and have a strong loving family bond.
As the assessments progressed and it has come to the conclusion with Joshua's care and wheel chair needs we unfortunately cant have him home or have renovations done to our home due to being so small.
As this is classed as an illness Joshua's assistance for help in regards to housing,vehicle and living requirements he does not qualify for ACC.
As we are unable to have josh home upon his discharge he is going to a residential care facility.
Our dream as a family is to give Josh the life he deserves for a 19 year old young man and to be able to come home to his family and we can provide for him as a family.
We appreciate any support to go towards Joshua's future.