I am now out of the hospital, but am returning tomorrow (Thu) for another bronchosopy at 1pm, and will be admitted overnight Thu. for observation. If nothing out of the ordinary happens with the procedure, I'll be discharged Friday sometime. I will remain in Claremont until we get the results of the bronch and a plan to move forward is developed. After all of the tests and scans done while I was admitted the last 10 days, we still do not have a definitive diagnosis, though progress has been made toward that end, and many things have been ruled out. It seems as if there are 2 different things happening:

1) a doughnut-looking mass in the upper right part of my lung that's pretty small. These type of masses are usually a fungal infection and are usually treated with a particular type of drugs. My mass, however, has been tested for many different types of infection, and has come back negative in all tests. It has also been tested to see if it's cancerous, and they tell us it's not.
2) a condition affecting all of my lungs at some level, which is usually treated with a different type of medication than the fungal infection, and would probably encourage the growth of the fungal infection.

I do not expect to have all of the initial results until at least Tue. or Wed. of next week, and probably won't meet with the doctor until later in the week.

I will most likely have some medication changes that will need to be closely monitored for at least another week or two, so we are once again "setting up shop" for at least another 2-3 weeks here in Claremont.

Please continue to pray with us for the following things:
1) that the bronch would give us some definitive results and a clear diagnosis.
2) that the doctors would have wisdom when they meet to discuss the treatment plan after the diagnosis is made.
3) that I would not have to be admitted again - at least until we know that action plan is. I found this last admission to be one of the toughest ones I've had mentally, as I was literally just waiting for the results to come back and the doctors to come up with a plan. I ended up being discharged (after 11 days!) with no treatment ever being done, and no definitive diagnosis. In that sense both of my transplants, though longer in each case, were easier because there was a clear goal and direction to focus on and shoot for.
4) That I would be able to improve in my ability to breathe and care for myself. Right now, I can only walk about 15 feet or so before being out of breath, and I can't stand for longer than a couple of minutes. This makes it hard for me to be alone anywhere for any length of time.
5) That my cough and chest congestion would disappear, or at least decrease.
6) For the relationships I developed and conversations I had with the following people at the hospital over the last 11 days: Tina, Lisa, Larry, John, Ken.

Thanks for continuing to share the burden of prayer with us. Realize that when you think of us, then lift even a brief "arrow" prayer (i.e. Nehemiah), the Holy Spirit takes your thoughts and utterances, not just the words you form, and brings them to God the Father on your half and to our benefit. Wow! Even when you don't know what's needed at that moment, a simple "God, whatever Jon needs right now, please take care of it" goes to work!
Jon, Lisa, Jillian, & JJ