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JOSH'S FIGHT FOR LIFE- Urgent help needed after severe medical emergency

  • Message from Anna part2

      7 December 2025

    an EPA petition cost is approximately $6000. If we can get the variance through immigration he may have his medical expenses covered or at least partially.

    The house will not be suitable for his complications in the short term at the very least and I was moving for family reasons anyway so I am looking at other houses. Our family has obviously stepped up to support him in any way we can and decided he will be coming with us.

    I understand a lot of people find it difficult to wrap their head around the fact that I am doing all this for my ex husband, however we are still friends, he is my sons father and I would never leave him in a situation where he didn't have support and care, provided it is in Josh's best interests and is safe for both him and my family. Josh and I have obviously discussed this and he makes jokes about how he couldn't ask for a better friend and co-parent and I've told him I need a trophy with that engraved.

    This is a stressful situation for everyone and a lot of changes and challenges are coming our way but keeping a to-do list is keeping me sane. I'm currently pulling a circus trick balancing everything and I appreciate all the messages of support. I know people keep asking if they can do stuff to help but to be honest most of it is stuff I have to do on my own.

    Thank you to those who were able to donate to the fundraiser, I know it's a difficult time of year but anything helps. It is appreciated and never expected.

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  • Message from Anna part1

      7 December 2025

    Sorry I haven't posted any updates on Josh's condition. I've been trying to wrap my head around things. I have been talking to him everyday and he is making progress and is a lot more alert.

    He is able to sit up and has more motion in his left side with the exception of his left leg. He currently has some level of aphasia where he knows what he wants to write but writes something else. He is very confused and it is hard to hear that in a conversation while knowing that things he says sometimes don't make sense or didn't happen. He has had a change in personality, not sure if that's temporary or permanent, but he's very happy and IYKYK. He currently has a temperature again and they have sent off tests to check for everything and try to pinpoint why this keeps happening. He's on medication for his blood pressure, and antibiotics, blood thinners for the pulmonary embolisms, and a few other things. Some of these will be long term medications. Doctors cannot give any prognosis or timelines. But once he is safe to leave the hospital, he will need extensive rehabilitation and possibly assistance long term.

    He still remembers all his bug facts and if I let him work from a hospital room he probably would.

    I'm trying to get all his documents sorted for immigration for a hail Mary visa (special variation visa) but that costs $2900. His hospital bill is over $130,000. Josh never signed an EPA so trying to get the correct paperwork from the hospital is an ongoing challenge and

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  • 1/12/2025

      1 December 2025

    1/12 8am josh has been getting scans throughout the night as he has had bleeding from his surgical site. They have managed to stop this although they have now discovered an pulmonary embolism. His medical team is trying to come up with a plan to address this. The usual course of action is to put him on blood thinners but due to his bleeding complications, this may not be possible.

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  • 30/11/2025

      30 November 2025

    30/11 9am Josh had a quiet night. No changes as of yet but he's continuing to be minimally responsive. He is stable and on medication. Hopefully moving him to a ward today to see how he does outside of ICU.

    30/11 3pm Josh is still very tired and in and out of consciousness. He was asking to call me and said he was worried about me and the kids. Gave him a quick video call to let him know that we are all ok and let him know that I've let his children in Wisconsin know what's going on too. Not having the kids on video call with him as it's all a bit overwhelming and scary for them. Told him that everyone has been asking about him and that I was really grateful to Amy for keeping him company yesterday and today. I told him all his stuff is washed and smells like lavender and he said "woohoo". He said he wants to come home and I let him know that he has everyone's support. I made a joke about putting glitter in his things (we communicate through banter) and he woke up to tell me he knew about my master glitter plan. He responds with "bah" a lot but he did that before this 😂 some things don't change. His face is a little less swollen today. He was supposed to be moved to the wards but he has contracted a virus so he's not able to be moved yet.

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  • 29/11/2025

      29 November 2025

    29/11

    9am still not properly conscious but showing basic responses on his right side. Following basic commands to squeeze with his right hand and even managed a thumbs up. Still on a ventilator. I am fighting with immigration to get him a Special Direction on compassionate and humanitarian grounds with a lawyer and keeping his family overseas updated the best I can. Not a lot to report but something is better than nothing. Thank you to everyone who has checked out the fundraiser to help with his medical expenses and those who have asked to visit him. Hoping he wakes up properly soon and sees that so many people are fighting for him.

    12.15pm They are going to attempt to take Josh off the ventilator this afternoon and see how he copes on his own. Please keep him in your prayers.

    2.30pm update from Amy.

    The breathing tube has been removed and the doctor said it went well. He is breathing on his own, when asked if he was in any pain he said no sleeping a lot will wake when asked a question though.

    4pm spoke to Josh. He is very sleepy and can respond in small bursts. Apparently he still has his sense of humor because giving him some flack caused him to pull a few faces. The ventilator at this stage is staying off as he's doing well and he has a feeding tube.

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  • 28/11/2025

      28 November 2025

    5am -> Josh made it through surgery. The surgeon said it took 4 hours because the aneurysm was huge and in a weird place in the brain and they had to leave a part of his skull open. They sent it for testing as he said it had been there for a while. He's on life support in ICU and they are doing more scans in a few hours.

    6pm Josh has been off sedation since 11am this morning. They had anticipated he would wake up however he has yet to show any signs of doing so and still has full paralysis on the left side of his body as seen in reflex and response tests. He is on a ventilator and a range of medications to keep him stable as his body isn't self managing well. He has a fever and is showing signs of having aspirated vomit which has likely caused pneumonia. The doctors had hoped given his age and size he would have shown some improvement however currently there is no change.

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  • 27/11/2025

      28 November 2025

    9pm-> Josh is currently being transferred to the high risk intensive care unit in Christchurch via helicopter from Dunedin hospital. He is in an induced coma and on a ventilator as his brain has serious active bleeds as shown on CT. At this time it has been confirmed that he suffered a serious stroke and this may have led to further complications. He is under the care of specialists and the Neurologist team at Christchurch and is being assessed for brain surgery.

    12am -> Josh is going to surgery as they have found a brain aneurysm as well that has burst. He has blood inside and around his brain. It's deemed life or death. Neurologists cannot guarantee an outcome.

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