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, March 22, 2009 6:22 PM CDT

It's been a while. Everything is going great. Josh is now 5 years "Off Treatment". We are planning a big celebration just like the one we had when he finished treatment 5 years ago. So much to be thankful for. He's 15 now and has his license. Just his permit but he still drives anytime we go somewhere. He does real well, I suppose he should since he has been driving around the yard for years. He learned to drive a "stick" in my old purple bug. He does better than most people.

His latest hobby is Air Soft. He dresses up in Camo with all kinds of pockets and compartments filled with extra magazines, pellets and grenades. He absolutely loves going out to the local field and getting shot at.

He's in high school too. Only a couple months left of this year. Then a new high school will open only 2 minutes from the house. Since he will be driving himself by then, it won't be such a big deal for ole "Worry Wart Mom."

That's about it for now.

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E-mail Author: www2b@earthlink.net

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