Tough News: Entering the Unknown

​This has been a tough week with another one fast approaching. On Monday, April 29, Josh will be having a brain biopsy for a tumor that was recently discovered in the middle of his brain.

Ugh. Gut punch. We know.
Now breathe . . . And continue.

About a week ago, a couple of Josh's coworkers called me (Jenn) to talk about some odd things they had noticed with Josh not operating quite right. He was doing some quirky things like not remembering what he just did and not fulling connecting with conversations. I had also noticed some forgetfulness and curious issues lately, but we thought these were tied to his thyroid meds begin off or just general health. With this prompting and a connection with a local primary doctor, we were able to get an early morning appointment on Wednesday. On Thursday, the blood work came back normal and we were referred to the oncologist to have an MRI that same day.  

The MRI results came quickly and showed a 2 inch (5 cm) mass located in the middle of Josh’s brain. This is definitely contributing to the issues with cognitive reasoning and even some of the overall odd health issues he has experienced for the past few months. We were admitted to the hospital the Thursday before Easter for more tests including a CT scan and a lumbar puncture or spinal tap. The purpose of the tap was to more quickly and easily determine if the mass could be connected to lymphoma which would mean one type of non-surgical treatment. We stayed in the hospital a couple days but released to spend Easter Sunday at home, waiting on pathology results which unfortunately did not help much. The results of the spinal tap did not show conclusive evidence that the mass is lymphoma. So we need to learn more.

We met with the neurosurgeon on Tuesday, April 23, who will perform a somewhat complicated needle biopsy next Monday to help determine what this mass actually is and what to do next. We believe the mass could be cancer but aren't sure if it is or what kind. It definitely significant and not in a great place.

Overall, this is super complicated, concerning and just plain tough. Broadly, it is never good to have a mass or tumor in your brain, but here we are. We still trust and pray to a God who we know can heal, is faithful and is always by our side. We are surrounded by amazing family and friends who are walking with us and lifting us up in prayer and in life.

One of the extra challenging things about the process is that Josh is not fully processing what all this means as the tumor is impacting his memory and overall processing ability. Physically, he is functioning fine, however, things are not entirely clear. It's hard to explain, but it is different. He's still free for conversations, lunches, etc. but it might be a bit interesting for everyone involved.  If you want to know more details, talking to me (Jenn) is probably a safer bet.

So what do we do?
Right now, we wait for the next bit of information and try to make the best decision. We, of course, are trusting God and praying for wisdom, healing and good doctors.

What can you do?
Join us in prayer and encourage us in whatever way you can or want to. We are setting up a meal chain to help occasionally and some Josh-sitting times for local friends and family. You are welcome to ask questions and still call and chat with either of us.

We will try to answer your messages/calls when possible, but if we don’t respond quickly, please know that we might just be overwhelmed at times. I'll be sharing updates on this page as we get them. You can share these as well with prayer chains and other friends.

We are so thankful for our family, friends, church and the incredible support we feel all around us. Even in the midst of being frustrated about this, we trust that God has a plan for even this and that he is with us in it.  

​This is not really the adventure we had in mind for 2019, but it is yet another Josh and Jenn adventure.


"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; 
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. (1) . . . 

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
​
(Psalm 20:1, 7)

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