Joshua’s Story

Site created on September 26, 2023

*Quick note, donating to Caring Bridge ( a tribute) is not a donation for my family. Use this link for our GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/61e43429

In September 2023, we found out that my sweet husband, Joshua, has an inoperable brain tumor. Since then, we have learned so much more through a biopsy in early October. Joshua has not only an inoperable brain tumor, but he has a stage 4 glioblastoma. It is in his right basal ganglia, which affects his whole left side. Although we are grateful that he is still cognitively himself, it is hard to go from playing a pick up soccer game on 8/27/23 to struggling to stand up and pivot from place to place just a short time later.

A lot of friends and family have asked how to help.  Please look under the Ways To Help Tab.


Go Fund Me: Joshua is the primary bread winner and health insurance provider in our family, and as with most families these days, we don't have a lot of extra funds to cover a prolonged time off from work for either one of us or medical expenses. Anything sent to our family through GoFundMe, Venmo, Zelle, PayPal etc is being saved or used for the big expenses. It covered a power chair, a bridge to a donated lift and his upcoming Optune bill that will max our out of pocket cost for 2024 very quickly. Soon, it may start to cover health insurance for our family because his paid leave and FMLA are up. https://gofund.me/61e43429


Meal Train: To take a little load off of my plate as a caregiver, we have an ongoing meal train. It helps beyond measure to just not have to think about what's for dinner twice week. Thank you to everyone who has participated. https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/0em5g9

Big thank you to all of our friends and family for your support. We are going to need it. Love, Sara

Newest Update

Journal entry by Sara Oehler

I’ll just jump right in today. 

More annoyance! Has anyone ever filled out long term disability paperwork while being insured by Kaiser. Kaiser’s medical records department seems to be refusing to fill out the physician’s statement. They keep sending me a work status report and full medical record. I have Joshua’s doctor and social worker working on it, but I wondered if the hive mind out there has more information on how to get over this hurdle.  I have been working on it since 4/13/24! I’m hoping I don’t have to march down there this week to get this 2 page form filled out. The Hartford seemed perplexed why the doctor’s office cannot complete and submit this paperwork that everyone else has to submit. 
This is the stuff that truly exhausts me. Why is this so hard? It should be straight forward and easy for a newly disabled person who worked hard their whole life. 

Joshua is doing okay. Still no fever. I’m giving him an antibiotic shot once a day for a week. He’s taking an antibiotic pill once a day for 2 weeks. He’ll have a new blood draw on Friday. Hopefully, his numbers will go back up. He spent most of today in bed. Got up to eat and then fell back asleep in his recliner. Poor guy. We cancelled his PT and OT for this week, so he can rest up before he starts acupuncture on Friday. 

I’m okay too. Annoyed by nonsensical paperwork. Still feeling like it’s all a little (or a lot) too much, but I’m making forward strides again. I just have to stay focused and do lots of not really fun (but necessary) things. 
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