Welcome to Joshua's Web Page. It has been provided to keep people updated with Josh's progress.

On March 26th of 2003 Josh was diagnosed with Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma. Approximately 250 children per year are diagnosed with this rare disease. It is a soft tissue malignant tumor of skeletal muscle origin. It is a curable disease in the majority of children who receive optimal therapy. We found Josh's tumor very early. It was located in the lower orbit of his right eye. I had noticed some swelling for a few days and within a week, we had him in the doctors office. Things went very rapidly from that point. Within 2 weeks of the initial swelling, he had already had surgery to remove the tumor and had received his first dose of chemotherapy. The biopsy showed he had a stage I group III malignancy. Since this time, he has had 5 weeks of radiation and 48 weeks of outpatient chemotherapy.

Things weren't easy in the beginning but he adjusted remarkably well. He rarely felt sick and he attended school every day. He has gained his weight back, his hair has filled in and he is back to his old self.

Josh's prognosis is very good. I know he will be fine. God has been with him every step of the way and I know he will stay close by.

Journal

Sunday, April 18, 2010 6:31 PM CDT

It's been over a year since my last update. Josh is getting taller and more handsome everyday. He is 16 now and in the 10th grade. He is going to the new Strawberry Crest High School which is only 1 mile from our house. How convenient for him and less stress for mom. He's also become a little country boy. Wrangler jeans, boots, big belt buckle and he's been looking at cowboy hats too. They're just a little pricey for his budget. If you drive through his school parking lots, it's trucks, trucks and more trucks. Oh, and he got his own little truck for Christmas. What a nice surprise for him. a 2004 Ford Ranger. It looks just like him. Tyler got a 2005 F250 Crew cab since I last updated. Be sure and look at the picture of my boys with their trucks.

He's been fishing quite a bit lately. He and a friend of his go to nearby lakes and have been catching big bass. He doesn't even keep them. Just likes to catch them. He is still playing "Airsoft" too. Had a game yesterday and came home with 2 open wounds on his forearm where he was shot. Made me so mad that someone shot him so close up. Then he told me how he shot someone in the tooth. Now that wasn't very nice.

So we move on and pray for his continued good health. He's come a long way in the last 7 years. Hard to believe it's been that long. When I read the old journal entries it doesn't seem real. We used to go to the clinic once a week. He only has to go annually now. Our next appointment is in June and he will get blood work and an echocardiogram. They also want him registered with the long time survival clinic.

God is Good!

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E-mail Author: www2b@earthlink.net

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