Joel's Journey: happy birthday!!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

happy birthday!!

Happy Birthday to Joel and Josiah!! Josiah is 9 today!!!! So it's time for a Lego birthday tonight!!!!

Joel..... Forever missed, forever loved!!!

5 comments:

Unknown said...: Praise God for Joel's wonderful life. Thinking of you all.; September 13, 2012 at 11:07 PM
Teena said...: Happy Birthday, Josiah & Joel. I know you do not know us but we have prayed for you and your family for over 5 yrs. We love you all dearly. Praying for you....

Can't wait to see all the pics!

Love you,
Teena; September 13, 2012 at 11:19 PM
Rachel said...: Happy birthday to the twins! Oh the party they will one day share in heaven! You are such a good decorator I can't wait to see what t one will be like! Love ya; September 14, 2012 at 10:07 PM
Teena said...: just coming back by to look at all the pictures again.... thinking of you. Praying for you. My heart hurt for Josiah's .... HUGS~ You are amazing.. your faith is such a testimony to so many.

love you,
Teena; September 16, 2012 at 8:12 PM
The Lacys said...: Happy Happy Birthday to Josiah...sweet pics! You are growing...It seems like you were just born yesterday ;0..Love you, Miss Charlee; September 22, 2012 at 11:32 PM

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.