josiah's journey
my cousin, jamie, has twin boys, josiah & justice. they are 8 years old. since josiah was 3, he has suffered w/ leukemia. he has been thru many rounds of chemo over the years & has been in remission many a time.
last october, he went thru a stem cell transplant at children's hospital in birmingham. he was quarentined there for 3 1/2 months. it was very hard on the family, but they made it thru it. jamie also has a daughter & husband who had to hold the house together while mom & josiah was at the hospital. they remodeled their house & put a HEPA filter in because the doctors wouldn't release him until it was clear that he would be able to be in germ free environment. (very costly, as you can imagine)
in march, he was declared cancer free. he was taken off all meds and given a clean bill of health. doctors told him that he would be able to go to school with his brother, justice... oh happy day! we celebrated!
in mid july, josiah got a cold & was not feeling good. jamie took him to the doctor for some antibiotics. they ran some tests... cancer had came back.
the doctors decided since the cancer was a strain that was resistant to regular chemo, they would try a double stem cell replacement that can only be done at the minnesota children's hospital. searching for donors because the first donor was a long process in finding. sad to say, for some reason, his own twin could not supply the cells needed to help. searching & possible match finding only to be eliminated. this procedure would leave him in the hospital for up to 6 months.
while running many tests to determine how his system would hold up in another stem cell replacement surgery, (his kidneys & liver has been devastated with all the chemo & previous surgery) the doctors found that his body reproduced 70% cancer ratio. they were hoping for 30%. if josiah had reproduced the 30% ratio or even 40% then he would still be a candidate for the double replacement. jamie received this news with an aching heart.
at this point, the doctors have taken him off all meds & he cannot have any more chemo, because if he does there is a chance that it may shut down his kidneys & liver. when the cancer comes back, because it will.... it will be a more resiliant strain than what he has now.
now, you wouldn't believe this kid has leukemia... since returning from the hospital, he is playing with his twin & there is a constant smile on his face. i know, cause i've seen him.
jamie is doing research to see what organic therapy has to offer. she does not give up & we will not either.
josiah's journey is not complete.
last october, he went thru a stem cell transplant at children's hospital in birmingham. he was quarentined there for 3 1/2 months. it was very hard on the family, but they made it thru it. jamie also has a daughter & husband who had to hold the house together while mom & josiah was at the hospital. they remodeled their house & put a HEPA filter in because the doctors wouldn't release him until it was clear that he would be able to be in germ free environment. (very costly, as you can imagine)
in march, he was declared cancer free. he was taken off all meds and given a clean bill of health. doctors told him that he would be able to go to school with his brother, justice... oh happy day! we celebrated!
in mid july, josiah got a cold & was not feeling good. jamie took him to the doctor for some antibiotics. they ran some tests... cancer had came back.
the doctors decided since the cancer was a strain that was resistant to regular chemo, they would try a double stem cell replacement that can only be done at the minnesota children's hospital. searching for donors because the first donor was a long process in finding. sad to say, for some reason, his own twin could not supply the cells needed to help. searching & possible match finding only to be eliminated. this procedure would leave him in the hospital for up to 6 months.
while running many tests to determine how his system would hold up in another stem cell replacement surgery, (his kidneys & liver has been devastated with all the chemo & previous surgery) the doctors found that his body reproduced 70% cancer ratio. they were hoping for 30%. if josiah had reproduced the 30% ratio or even 40% then he would still be a candidate for the double replacement. jamie received this news with an aching heart.
at this point, the doctors have taken him off all meds & he cannot have any more chemo, because if he does there is a chance that it may shut down his kidneys & liver. when the cancer comes back, because it will.... it will be a more resiliant strain than what he has now.
now, you wouldn't believe this kid has leukemia... since returning from the hospital, he is playing with his twin & there is a constant smile on his face. i know, cause i've seen him.
jamie is doing research to see what organic therapy has to offer. she does not give up & we will not either.
josiah's journey is not complete.