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JOSHUA STEVEN BRESTEL
December 13, 1999 - December 1, 2004
Emptiness
Our Hearts still ache,
Our tears still flow.
There's an emptiness inside us,
Because we miss you so.
Since you were taken from us,
We feel you in the breeze,
We hear you in the raindrops,
And in the rustling trees.
We know your watching down on us,
Guiding us in all we do,
Until we are together again,
We hold dearly our memories of you.
Welcome!
This page has been provided to keep everyone up-to-date on Josh. He was diagnosed with Stage 3 favorable Wilm's Tumor on September 7, 2003. He started chemotherapy on September 12. On January 5, Josh had surgery to remove the left side of his kidney and the tumor. He was born with a horseshoe kidney (fused at the bottom forming one kidney). He had 6 treatments of radiation. Josh relapsed on March 12, 2004. He had surgery again on March 23. On April 6, before he started radiation, more cancer was found. He was immediately admitted and started on chemo. He had three in stay rounds of chemo. On May 18 scans were done. They were clear. He then had stem cell harvest and 13 rounds of radiation. On August 23, before he was able to start chemo again, more cancer was found in the abdomen. He started a new chemo drug in hopes of shrinking the tumors small enough for sugery. On November 23, after trying three different chemo drugs, we were told Josh's cancer was terminal. On December 1, 2004, he earned his angel wings.
SAFELY HOME
I am home in Heaven, dear ones;
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.
All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.
Did you wonder I so calmly
Trod the valley of the shade?
Oh! but Jesus' love illumined
Every dark and fearful glade.
And He came Himself to meet me
In that way so hard to tread;
And with Jesus' arm to lean on
Could I have one doubt or dread?
Then you must not grieve so sorely,
For I love you dearly still:
Try to look beyond earth's shadows,
Pray to trust our Father's Will.
There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand;
Do it now, while life remaineth-
You shall rest in Jesus' land.
When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you Home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come!
Journal
Tuesday, December 22, 2015 3:34 PM CST Wow it has been so long since I have updated. We held the 11th Annual Josh Brestel Birthday Safari and Toy Drive on December 12. We had another awesome year. We collected over 700 toys and $1,300 in gift cards. On December 16, toys were delivered to both St. Elizabeth and Children's Hospitals. We had such a great time celebrating Josh's 16th Birthday. Thanks so much to everyone who helped make the toy drive such a huge success.
Diane
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