Joel's Journey: Christmas in Florida #3

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Christmas in Florida #3

(I have some time here in Florida, so I am getting this done)

Saturday, Christmas Eve!! Woke and dashed outside to get a look at what I had been waiting on for a loonngggg time.... Palm trees n sun n warmth!!! I got it!! Swimming at their house, football, basketball at a nearby park, lunches that were awesome and then a Christmas eve service at their church! First time I have ever know a church to have a Starbucks in their lobby! Hey, that's how Florida rolls!!

After the church Christmas eve service, we headed back home for another wonderful meal, gingerbread building contests, white elephant gift exchange, laughs, late nigh, movies and playing wii!! Not boring by any means!!!

1 comment:

Paige said...: Florida is very cool glad y'all enjoyed it. I lived in Florida for 14 years and I miss it. Thanks for sharing the pictures.; December 31, 2011 at 3:39 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.