14 Week Check Up

Prayer Request: Joshua has a radiation check up this Friday(10/26/07) and
chemotherapy on Monday (10/29/07). PLEASE PRAY that the
Lord will have his lungs clear of any cancer cells OR that
the CT scans will show "stuff" that needs to be seen and
addressed in his body. "Now to HIM who is able to do
beyond what we can think or even imagine..."

Monday's chemotherapy chemical is the one that makes him
really sick. We would ask that we could make it to Pendleton
(3 1/2 hrs)before the throwing up starts or not throw up at all.

Note: Joshua is starting to take really long naps in the afternoon.
His body is obviously needing more rest.
He has complained of some aches and pains, nothing too serious.

Praises: His weight has been holding steady. His hair is starting to
grow back. It is really soft blonde hair. He has had two really
good weeks.

Words cannot express how we feel...All of you out there in Tennessee..."Friends of Joshua"...Mark Clark and family and company...We just received a FED EX box in the
mail...we are truly grateful...You have half of the U.S. involved...THANK YOU...May the LORD bless you and keep you and make HIS face shine upon you...We don't know if we will ever get to see some of you or thank you personally this side of eternity...Glenn and Deana

Chemotherapy Continues

Sorry for the long break.

Joshua had chemotherapy on September 24. They changed his regimen to every three weeks. He had spells of nauseau the week of the 24 and then felt much better. He has complained of stomach aches and chest aches. These are probably side effects of the radiation. His weight is holding steady. He is now losing his eye lashes and eyebrows. The doctors say he is still really coordinated for having been through 12 weeks of chemo and radiation.

Trying to adjust to home life again after having been gone for 6 weeks. Glenn is back teaching and he says his feet hurt (you big baby). Deana is trying to get caught up with laundry. Everybody is happy to be home. God is so good to us!!! We are trusting in the promise..."consider the plans I have for you declares the Lord, to give you a hope and future, plans to prosper you and not for calamity...Thank you Lord!!!

Joshua has chemotherapy on Monday, October 8. He will get a double dose. Please pray that we get home before he throws up OR no throwing up at all...that would be nice.

Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, cards, emails...you have given us strength and encouragement on this journey with our son. May the Lord bless you all...Amen.

Radiation Check September 7

Doctors said he is looking EXCELLENT and doing EXTREMELY well.

Only problems as of late are a self inflicted wound on shin (bump and bruise)while wrestling brothers. Nice cut on the bald head from falling onto a box while having a pillow fight with his brothers and the Rawie Boys!!

God is Good. He gained two pounds last week. Joshua has eaten very well this weekend. Saturday night he had 3 tacos and 4 quesadias (sp).

Radiation and chemotherapy next week again.

Happy Birthday to those of you with September birthdays. I hope we did not forget anyone???!!! (Uncle Robert, Uncle Kirk, Grandma, Ashley, Mom)

Radiation Starts

Joshua started Radiation on August 29, 30, 31. He has done very well thus far with no sickness or throwing up; he has had some nausea and moments when he told us he was going to throw up. Thankfully they were false alarms!!!!!!!!!!!

We went home for Labor Day weekend. We checked on the house and our pets. I think the pets are missing us!? Joshua had a great weekend. He has been given a boost of energy.

I took the boys hunting and we saw two turkeys and jumped two nice 4x4 bucks from their bed...I may have gotten a shot, BUT...DAD LOOK!!...DAD SHOOT!!...the bucks bounced off unscathed...we found a camo PRIMOS glove (a treasure)...it was a good evening hunt.

Special THANKS to the families of Brenda Christy, Kathryn Youngman, and Schelle Bixler for taking care of house and pets. AND, they are still doing it!!!!

Please pray that Joshua eats nonstop. He has lost another pound this week. His appetite has returned somewhat this weekend. He needs to put on weight!!!!

We are back at Craig and Nyla's. Never a dull moment with all of the kids...see the new photos of the kids running through a home made water toy!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, September 4, we started radiation again. All went smoothly this morning. Joshua also had Chemotherapy at 1:30 p.m. Double whammy today. Please pray against nausea and that he would eat, and eat, and eat...

We have radiation all week again (9/5 @ 10:00 a.m. 9/6 @ 9:30 a.m. 9/7 @ 1:30 p.m.)

Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16)

Our God is an Awesome God (Dueteronomy 10:17)

For His Loving Kindness Is Everlasting (PSALM 118)


To all who have prayed for us, sent us money, cleaned our house, watered our yard, sent us gas cards, provided meals...

May The LORD bless you, and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.' (Numbers 6:24-26)

Surgery Week August 20 to 26

It has a been a busy week!!

Joshua had a pre-op on Monday August 20 for blood tests to make sure his counts were up. They were...Praise God!! We stayed at Craig and Nyla's and played in the hot tub one last time. Joshua's last time to play in the water.

Tuesday was surgery. Surgery lasted 3.5 hours. Everything very went well. The doctors took out his right kidney and remaining tumor, one adrenal gland, a small chunk of liver and part of the vena cava (sp). The tumor had progressed down the blood vessel to the vena cava and into the adrenal gland of the right kidney.

Joshua experienced some pain. It took about 8 hours to get his pain medicine adjusted for his body. We had him up the next morning for a wagon ride. A short walk to the bed and he was pooped out. We took many more rides through the day. Most of his pain seemed to come in the middle of the night. Deana and I got little sleep this week. We took some naps in the day.

He was not allowed to eat for 5 days due to this type of surgery. Not having food and liquids in the system gave the body repairs time to heal without being pushed upon by a full stomach, etc. He was hungry.

For pain Joshua had an epidural in his back. Friday night he tried to have a bowel movement and while sitting of the toilet he wiggled it out of his back and had no pain relief through the night. It was a long night. The doctors found this out on Saturday morning when they were taking out the epidural. IT WAS A LONG NIGHT...the doctors felt bad about Joshua having to go through so much pain that night. He was given some pain medicin intraveniously and was back to himself in about 15 minutes.

He was allowed to eat Saturday as well. He had a piece of toast and juice. We had to slow him down. He tried to go to the bathroom again. He could not. This was the last thing he had to do before leaving the hospital. I went down to see the Silas and Isaac at Craig and Nyla's. I had been there about an hour when the phone rang. Joshua told me he went to the bathroom....Praise the Lord!!!!

I took Silas and Isaac back up with me on Sunday to visit Joshua. We were expecting a stay until Tuesday. The doctors came in said he was doing so good he could go home today. God's loving kindness is everlasting!!! We drove to Crain and Nyla's and had dinner at their house. Joshua wanted to go for Fourwheeler ride...tough kid!!!!!!!!!!

Praise - Everything is going very well...he seems to have no sore muscles as of 8/26.

This week - We have a chemotherapy clinic Monday, tomorrwo, at 3:00 (8/27)
We will start radiation on his lungs and right side on Wednesday
at 1:00 (8/29)

Prayer Request - There are many side effects with the radiation. Lung tissue damage,
sterility, stuck together bowels, hormone damage, growth stunted.
Please pray for all of those for Joshua...that he would have a
healthy recovery and not experience any long term effects with his
lungs or other organs near the radiation.

Prayer Request - Joshua does not seem to get a break in all of this. He needs to gain
weight (he had 5 day fast this week), he will get tired easily, he
will get weak. That GOD WOULD BE GLORIFIED IN JOSHUA'S BODY!!

Trivia Note - Joshua's surgery day was exactly 7 weeks from the diagnoses and on the
21 of August...that's 3x7...look at all of the HOLY NUMBERS!!!!

Joshua David Johnston - Joshua took Jericho on the the seventh time around the city
and entered the promised land. David was a shepherd boy who
slayed a giant to lead Israel.

Not by might, not by power, but BY MY SPIRIT SAYS THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!

Six Week Report / Check Up

Today, August 13, we had CT scan and a chemotherapy session.

Praise - Made the trip home without any sickness...looking great this evening.

Note - Hair has really started to fall out the last two days. Dad and Joshua are going to shave their heads. Can you say "Bob the tomato head for Dad!!!!!!!!"

HUGE Praise - Looking at the CT scan with the doctors. The tumor, July 2 photos, had completely taken over the right kidney and you could not see the kidney at all, the size of a baseball. Today, August 13, the tumor was the size of quarter and you could see the kidney as if it was whole again. Doctor quote "It is interesting...pause...no it is actually really amazing that the tumor has shrunk this small and this fast. We rarely see this drastic of a change. The tumor is only 1/10 the size since the last scans." We told the doctors that we had a lot of people praying for our son. GOD BLESS YOU ALL...OUR GOD REIGNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AWESOME Praise - The lungs had several growth spots in them. The scan only showed one spot left on the right lung that was about the size of a dime. That one needs to go away in the name of Jesus!!!!!!! Amen and Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

Praise - All but one Blood Count were good. The one was just a couple of points low.

Praise - Joshua gained one pound this week. He needs to gain a couple more pounds for radiation.

Prayer Requests - He needs to eat...become ravenous.
August 21 is the surgery to take the kidney and tumor out. Pray
Joshua has a strong blood count. Safety during surgery. No major
loss of blood so he does not have to have transfusion. They will
start radiation about 4 days later. Please pray that his
intestines "wake" up quickly after surgery and he has a bowel
movment quickly. That he has strength and weight for
the radiation process. They will also start the chemo again in
about a week after the surgery. Pray for nauseau to be gone.

Thank you all sooooooo much for your prayers and gifts. We are extremely humbled by our EXTENDED family. Glenn and Deana

Latest Clinic

August 6 - Chemotherapy at 9:30, went to the Zoo, no nausea or throwing up.

August 7 - Some nausea, not eating well, has lost almost 10 pounds on that little body. Needs togain some weight!!!!!!!!!!!! Stayed at Craig and Nyla's house. Helped do yard work.

August 8 - Radiation Consultation. PRAY that the chemo kills the cancer cells in the lungs. There are a lot of side effects with radiation. We are praying that the Lord would heal and restore Joshua's lungs. Started having nausea and throwing up today.

Prayer Request - Complete healing of the lungs.
Appetite to return.
Keep nausea away.
Dissolve the tumor completely and restore the kidney to full
function.
Three blood counts were low; they need to come up.

Next Week - We have a CT scan at 8:15 a.m. for Joshua's six week check up (August 13).Chemotherapy in the afternoon after the CT scan.Based on CT scan,
the tentative date for his kidney surgery is August 21.

Pray for miracles to be seen in Joshua's body. Pray for no side effects from the
a.m. CT scan so that the afternoon chemotherapy would go well.