Joel's Journey: Happy 4th Birthday Josiah!!!!!!!

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Happy 4th Birthday Josiah!!!!!!!

Joel and Josiah's 3rd Birthday

Josiah has had a very special birthday!! He started the day with John Deere donuts. The donut man decorated them special for Josiah with green and yellow striped icing! He arrived at his party with a John Deere t-shirt on! With big smiles and peering eyes from brothers and sisters, he opened his presents. He got several John Deere replicas and some duplo blocks. The afternoon was quiet as they enjoyed the new gifts.

Josiah made the request of hotdogs, hamburgers, cheetoes and coke for his birthday meal. We enjoyed a picnic outside this evening. His dad read a birthday blessing letter to him. Terry started this special blessing a while back and Lord willing the letters will be very meaningful in years to come. A little later we all gathered outside and sent 4 Helium birthday balloons "up" to Balley. This was quite meaningful to the younger children. Josiah released them with a wonder in his eye.

Josiah talked alot about Balley today. He said if Balley were here he would have got a tractor like mine and a yellow shirt too. I told him I missed Balley and he gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I told him that helped my heart.

There has been grace today... and I know many have prayed for us today. I wonder if there are special things going on in heaven today for Joel? Thank you for holding our arms up today. Our first birthday and God helped us through it!

~Cindy

3 comments:

Katy said...: My eyes can't hold back the tears on this special yet very sad day. How can you have two different feelings and still get through the day. God is good and may you have grace and love to get through this day. I have followed your story close and never commented. May you have restored health and joy in your heart today. Hugs to Josiah and to the rest of your precious family.; September 14, 2007 at 12:24 PM
Susan said...: I lost my seven year old to neuroblastoma recently - he LOVED John Deere! I hope he and Joel are riding their tractors in heaven together.; September 21, 2007 at 5:25 PM
Ash said...: Haha thats the kinda b-day im talkin bout!; September 28, 2009 at 2:50 PM

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Joel's Story

Joel, our 11th of 13 and a twin of Josiah, at age 3 was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, on December 6th, 2006. Joel had three perfect years of health and he and Josiah celebrated their 3rd birthday Sept. 13th, 2006. The first of Oct. Joel started having unexplained fevers for a few days and would return to active play. After the fourth round of fevers we took him to our family Dr. which they said his iron was low, so we treated that for a few weeks and took him back only to have his hemo. showing lower than before. We were referred to a hematologists and saw him a few weeks with blood checks twice a week. At a visit on Dec. 4th we showed the Dr. the bumps, (which were tumors but we did not know at the time) on Joel's head and he was very concerned and we were told we needed to admit him immediately and start extensive tests the following day. Joel went through rigorous testing and then the dreaded results were given. Joel was at a stage IV the most extensive stage, but we were hopeful that the Lord would use the means of Chemotherapy treatments to restore Joel's body. Joel endured 8 1/2 days in the hospital, came home for Christmas, and returned for his second round of chemo Jan. 3, 2007. Joel had a seizure that night after midnight and went into a coma due to a tumor bleeding in his head area and causing his brain to swell. After tests the following days, the Dr. declared Joel "brain dead" and took us to court to force us to take Joel off life support, as we did not agree with the medical field's definition of death. Our family sought to stand with the scripture, "life is in the blood,"and until Joel's heart quit beating naturally, he was living. We were making arrangements to bring him home and on January 23, 2007 his little heart stopped beating and he went to be with the Lord Jesus in heaven. Our lives are changed forever. God is faithful in the midst of this trial and we look with great hope to be with him someday.