Joshua's Turn

This post will mostly be facts.  They just took Joshua into surgery (4:45pm)to try and take as much of the tumor as possible and to relieve the pressure on his brain.  If it doesn't do that they will, put in a drain temporarily.  He has a large tumor, at least 3 cm, in the cerebellum.  It doesn't have good margins so they do not believe they can get it all but will try to get as much as possible.  There is a second smaller tumor as well and they just don't know till they get in about that one.  We do not know if it is a medulloblastoma or a new tumor type.  That info along with some treatment plan will come in about 10 days.  We know he can not have radiation again and that some chemo will be necessary.  The surgery is expected to take 5 hours minimum.  After that he goes to ICU for a day and then a room for a week.  I will post a note on facebook tonight that he is out of surgery and stable and then post here again when we get out of ICU.
We found this because he had some sharp pain when he was moving and then a dull ache for about a week and then on Saturday he began to be dizzy and lethargic.  I knew what it was but kept hoping that I was over reacting.  Sadly a trip to the ER on Sunday proved I was not wrong and that there was a lot of pressure on his brain.  An MRI this morning confirmed our worse fears.
I am heartbroken, lost and frightened.  This will be a hard road and I know from the past there will be a lot of suffering on this road.  I am holding on to his patriarchal blessing that reminds me that this his path and Heavenly Father loves him.  I know he is a special spirit and we are sooo blessed to have been chosen to be his parents.  We are back to a place were we are living one day at a time and just trying to be hopeful and prayful and when we can we will be joyful.  Thank you for the prayers and love.