Happy New Year!

Hi all,
Happy New Year! 
I hope you had a wonderful holiday!

I just wanted to stop in and do a quick post as to why I have been absent from my blog the past couple of weeks.  

Two weeks ago, Josh went in for an MRI for a lump that had formed on the top of his head.  He received a call that same day and was told to go directly to the ER.  After hours of waiting in the emergency room, they admitted him to the hospital.  I won't go into the emotional roller coaster ride that we went through on getting a diagnosis.  

It appeared that his Osteosarcoma had returned on his scull (and we were hopeful it had not gotten into his brain).  He was scheduled for brain surgery on Monday.  I immediately bought a plane ticket and flew to Arizona.  I cannot even express how hard it is for a mom to have to see their child face such hard things.  But Josh, is such an inspiration and told me that, maybe he had to go through this again, because he would need to inspire someone else (He sure inspires me!). 

Josh's surgery took about 5 hours (which seemed like days), and was a success, and the tumor was confirmed to indeed be Osterosarcoma.  The surgeon was confident he was able to remove all of the tumor (and thankfully the pathology report confirmed that).  Josh now has a titanium plate in his head where the top of his scull once was.  After only 5 days in the hospital, Josh was discharged to go home.  Nothing can keep that kid down.  

He will now be starting chemotherapy and radiation for approximately 5 months.  His Oncologist assured us that the odds are definitely in his favor to be fully cured.  I have included Josh's Go Fund Me link below (and his update from Facebook) if anyone would like to help with that.  He will be out of work for a while and I can only imagine how much brain surgery costs???  

I would love it if you would keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we make this journey once more...which I am confident will be the last time :)  

Always, Enjoy Today!

Josh - Go Fund Me

Hello Everyone,

Josh here. Thank you all for your continued support! Jess and I really appreciate it! I am home now and recovering from my recent brain surgery. As far as we know now, the game plan will be to restart chemotherapy on January 2nd, and then 6 weeks of radiation a few weeks after that.

Unfortunately the chemo will have to be in the hospital again.... 5 days at a time, twice a month. Luckily it shouldn’t be quite as long this time around. Maybe 4-6 months of chemo. We are hopeful of a full remission this time around. We are very thankful for all of your support, and cant put into words how appreciative we are of you all.

As some of you know, I did start a new job as a cabinet maker on November 6th. Since I am still very new there, I am not eligible for FMLA, and wont be able to work for a few months (or drive for that matter!). My doctors are taking the precautions for seizures, since I did have one in the hospital after surgery.

I will try to keep updates coming out as we get them. Thanks again, and Happy Holiday season to everyone!

Love,
Josh and Jess

I am still here...and an update on Josh

Hi all, I have been the worst blogger ever!!  

I have not given up on this old blog, I guess I have just been a little preoccupied with life at the moment.  

I thought I would update you on Josh's Cancer treatment 

(that is THANKFULLY coming to an end!!).  

Here is Josh's last email update (4/7/16):
I went into my oncologist's office today expecting to be admitted to the hospital for my next chemo. Unfortunately, my lab work came back and my cell counts were too low to start chemo today. We did have some good news from my MRI though (I had this test about 2 weeks ago). There is no sign of cancer growing back at this time. They did notice a little bit of fluid where the cancer was, but this is due to the surgery, as well as the previous radiation treatment. It should be gone in a few months. I will be going in to Ironwood tomorrow, Monday, and Tuesday to get shots to boost my white blood cells. I will be going back for my next appointment next Thursday, and I should be going in to the hospital after that. Only 2 more in-hospital chemo's left!

The past month has been a pretty nice break from chemo (although I am anxious to just finish). The break is due to the new chemo I started 2 months ago. It has a delayed cell death, so it requires a 1 month break in between chemo's. 

*ETA-Josh is actually in the hospital right now getting his last 

of 3 chemo treatments, so after this treatment, 

he only has 2 more left!!

(one in the hospital and one in the doctors office)   

Mike and I are heading to AZ at the beginning of May to celebrate 

him being DONE!  I cannot wait to see the kids!!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I have so much that I want to blog about, so I am hoping that 

I can get my act together and start blogging again on a regular basis 

(because, I really do miss it!!), so don't give up on me yet :)  

I am almost done reading  THIS book (recommended by Ashley), and it resonated so much with me!!  I realized that we all need to cultivate creativity! 

I highly recommend it!!  

I think THIS one, is going to be my next read.

as always...

Enjoy Today!

an update from Josh...

I hope you are having a great week!  I have been pretty busy with work, so I have not been able to post, but I do have some ideas for my blog coming soon :)

I wanted to thank you for all the sweet comments and emails regarding Josh!  It is so nice to know I have so many friends (near and far) keeping him in their thoughts and prayers.  

Josh has been sending out email updates throughout his cancer journey and I thought I would share his most recent update (I think he should start a blog).

I am definitely overdue for an update, but here it is...

I have been in the hospital the past 2 weeks or so getting 2 more rounds of chemotherapy.  (This leaves 7 more chemo's, 4 of which are in the hospital).  I am very excited to be done with going to the hospital...  I got out of the hospital last night, and I go in to my oncologist's tomorrow for my outpatient chemotherapy (they are really putting these things back to back now!).  I am still on track to finishing in March.

A month or so ago I noticed that my heart was feeling a little bit different.  Almost like it was weaker, or not working quite as it was before.  I notified my oncologist and he had me go in for another echo-cardiogram (heart ultrasound).  The results came back the other day while I was in the hospital and it looks like my heart is not working/pumping in the normal range at this time.  A cardiologist met with me and notified me it was congestive heart failure and that my heart was working between 45-50% (normal is above 55%).  They did not seem too worried, which was a relief and my cardiologist is optimistic that my heart should return to normal over time.  The cause of the heart issue is from the radiation treatments that I received (because they were near my heart) as well as one of the chemotherapy's that I receive called Adriamycine (which is toxic to the heart).  They recommend I keep active by walking daily to return my heart back to its original capacity.

**Edited...I spoke with Josh today and they are NOT going to continue with the Adriamycine, due to the heart related side effects.  They will give him another chemo medication in the same family but with less side effects for Josh's heart. (I am kinda happy about this!!!)

  

Jessica and I have been doing well since our last update.  We have mostly been in the hospital, so we cherish any time that we have at home together.  We are very excited to be nearing the end and we are planning out all of the things we want to do once this phase of our life is over.  Life is good.

I hope you are all doing well!  I will definitely try to send another update soon :)

Love,

Josh and Jess

Enjoy Today!