New Year's Eve-1/7/2010

Josh has started the New Year off with wonderful news and has held fast to that positive information.

New Year's Eve he went out just like any other kid and celebrated with his buddies. He just loves to feel normal. Thats all he wants. When I ask him what he wants to do after all this, he says he wants to work, and one day have a family that goes to church on Sunday's- have family BBQ's- and never take one moment of life with good health for granted. Throughout all this, Josh has also thought of things he can do to help others that will go through what he went through. His major complaint when he stays in the hospital is, "What the heck is wrong with the people that make these beds and chairs!? Don't they know all I want to be in *comfortable* when I am here?!" So, he may channel that frustration and knowledge into building affordable/comfortable furniture just for hospitals!

I was in LA for New Year's Eve and stayed there until the 5th. While I was there, Josh was hanging out with a couple of his friends constantly! Dr. Srinivas has told Josh that she wants him to do as much normal stuff as he possibly can--how he loves to hear this. So while Josh stayed 4 days and 3 nights at his buddies house he must've picked up some kind of cold. When I got home on the 5th, he was in bed complaining of trouble breathing and coughing. He has a little cold right now that Dr Srinivas is not concerned about-as long as he doesn't have a fever. (His white counts are normal.) I think this cold is just a little tougher for him since his body is so weak, Josh has lost 100 lbs. in the past year!

On the 7th we were scheduled to get some more chemotherapy, but the labs we did on the 6th revealed that Josh's platelets are too low to receive chemotherapy. (Josh was shouting praise the Lord at this because he hates having to travel away from home- but he understands he has to do what he has to do!) Joshua's platelets are no real reason for concern- chemotherapy not only kills cancer, but it kills the good stuff too. So, Josh's platelets haven't fully recovered yet so we can't quite blast them again.

So we are at home coping with this slight cold- the next time we are scheduled to go to Stanford is next week. Still no news on the BMT process... I'm still praying! We only completed 1 of 3 tests and haven't heard any new info yet- will let you know if there is something more!

<3chels