A final Update Josiah from his dad - continue to lift them up to Our Lord.....

This is form Larry in our office:  I also posted on our SS Blog.  I rarely do this for private reasons as others outside our class see this blog, but in this case, God is glorified through this family's faithfullness during their struggle.  Let them be an example to all of us.  Praise THE LORD !!!
________________________________________________________________

This is the latest update on Josiah. I want to thank all who have taken time to pray for him and his family.  I know God is in control of this situation and only he can provide peace in our lives.  Jason and his family have been remarkably strong in this situation, this can only come from a daily walk with God.  Thanks again for your prayers and concern.---Larry

 

_________________________________________

 

At 3:00 AM on Friday morning the team from Air Ambulance arrived to transport Josiah Lee from Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital in Orlando, Florida to St. Lukes in Boise, Idaho. Suzie went along with Josiah because the airplane could only accommodate one family member. Little Jason and I followed along on a commercial flight that arrived in Boise only a couple of hours after Suzie and Josiah. Our time at Disney on Josiah's Make A Wish trip was wonderful, but it is good to be back at "the happiest place on earth" - home.

Suzie and I met with the doctors yesterday afternoon after they examined Josiah and ran another CT scan. The doctors told us that Josiah is in a deep coma, and there is no chance of him waking up again. There has been massive hemorrhaging in Josiah's thalamus. The bleeding within the tumor and around the tumor has doubled the size of the affected area in his brain. With both thalami severely damaged, the 'brain within his brain' has all but been destroyed.

We have been encouraged by movement, response to touch, and a flicker of the eyelids during the last few days. However, this activity is because the lower part of Josiah's brainstem in unaffected. The upper part of his brainstem, wherein lies the "soul" or conscious part of man, is damaged beyond repair.

These rapidly growing tumors need a tremendous blood supply to in order to keep growing. But the rapid growth rate means that the blood vessels being formed to supply the tumor are very weak and susceptible to rupture. The oncologist compared it to a hastily constructed refugee camp versus a well-organized and structured city.

If we had started radiation immediately after Josiah's diagnosis, this incident could have happened sooner because radiation can sometimes aggravate the tumor and make it even more angry. The doctors informed us that it is very unlikely that radiation could have prevented this from happening.

I do not believe God caused this tumor, but I do believe that with all the thousands of prayers and fastings God is certainly at this point in complete control of Josiah's situation. We felt a tremendous peace about following the doctors advice and going on our trip to Florida before treatment began. Is it a coincidence that Josiah lapsed into a coma on the last day of our trip and only a few days before treatment would begin? We asked believing in faith that God would give us a miracle and perhaps God in His infinite goodness has given us mercy.

Unless there are any significant changes, I will not be posting anymore updates except for my reflections of the last month with Josiah. We want to preserve the dignity of our son and honor him in such a way that brings honor to our Saviour.

To the army of prayer warriors that have interceded on behalf our precious child, I am deeply humbled and grateful for the time spent in prayer for my son. Fifty-one days ago our world came to screeching halt while the world for everyone else continued to revolve. And yet so many thousands have allowed their world to come to a frequent stop that they might pray, fast, and weep for little Josiah Lee. This has meant more to me than I can ever express.

I have not stopped praying for a miracle. Our compounded problems have not made it more difficult for God to heal Josiah. He can heal with as much ease today as He could have a month ago. But I must also recognize that this could be God's answer to our prayer. On Monday morning Josiah went into a deep sleep. In a tremendous way Josiah is already 'asleep in Jesus'. How my heart and soul longs for the day when we live together with Him!

"Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection." (Hebrews 11:35)

Standing atop Mount Moriah, I am still facing a sacrifice that I do not want to make. I look to the thicket, and it is empty.