Posted on 07/05/2003 11:25:40 PM PDT by I_love_weather
I hate to post in the front-page section...however if it will reach more people...then it will be worth it.
I received this letter from a friend today...could everyone please place this little boy on their prayer lists...and take this prayer request to their churches?
Josh is 7 years old - the second of three sons of Rina and Drew. Rina works at (left out for privacy) producing company literature, newsletters, etc. and organizing social events including the summer picnic and Christmas party. Rina is one of those special people that touches everyone's heart with her kindness and outgoing spirit. Josh and his two brothers have always been a special part of the companies family.
Josh started complaining of nausea and headaches several weeks ago. Rina took Josh to the emergency room. His headaches had become severe and he was screaming with pain. A CT scan that evening confirmed that Josh had a golf-ball sized tumor in the midline of the cerebellum. The doctor quickly administered a steroid to relieve the pressure that was causing the severe headaches. Josh immediately recovered and returned to his normal mischievous behavior.
Josh has a medulloblastoma tumor. He was operated on the following Wednesday. After seven hours (the longest hours ever) Josh was brought to the recovery room. Dr. Hollenberg (a friend) was not able to remove the entire tumor as one section was attached to the wall of the fourth ventricle. Another section was entangled with the brain stem. That night Josh had a series of severe seizures. Post-operative seizures are not uncommon but the duration and severity of the seizures were troubling.
The next day, Josh had shown signs of recovery. However, within a day his recovery had slipped and he is now suffering from Posterior Fossa Syndrome that results in mutism (inability to speak) along with several neurological deficits. I watched him thrashing for hours - unable to speak and unlikely able to see anything more than highly blurred images - his brain struggling to adjust to the severe trauma caused by the surgery. He is locked inside a scary world - unable to communicate the terror that he is feeling. My heart has been aching from the images of seeing him thrashing from pain and loneliness. I wish I could simply walk into that dark place and take Josh by the hand and lead him to the light..
The Posterior Fossa Syndrome should subside with time - perhaps three weeks to three months - and his speech should return. There will likely be several neurological deficits that will linger or remain. Soon he will start a long process of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. His prognosis is mixed - a fifty percent chance of survival after five years.
END LETTER
Please pray for Josh and his family...as they try to cope and manage through this difficult time.
Prayer bump
While you can't do that, Jesus can. I will be praying for Josh to experience the peace that only comes from God. Prayers for his family as well.
Lord please hear this heartfelt plea and send the light of your love to guide Josh in a place that all other lights may fail him.
You and this family will be in my thoughts and prayers as I too have stood in the place where you now are. Two years ago, and only 3 days after her high school graduation, my sister was seen by our family doctor for headaches/vertigo. After a full blood screen they called us back and rushed us to UCSF in Ca. (a 4 hr. trip)
They ran tests for 2 weeks before finding the tumor with the MRI scan. She was then diagnosed with Acute Medullablastoma. They removed what they could of the tumor, did radiation, chemotherapy, and later a stem cell transplant. We were told that in her case (rare) the cancer cells had traveled outside of their normal area and had entered the bone marrow.
With alot of faith and prayer she recovered and is still recovering today. Keep the faith and we'll all help with prayers of love and support.
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