Hi everyone. My name is Josh and I’m currently in the ninth grade. I’m from the greater Philadelphia area, and I want to tell you about my new “journey.” Roughly six weeks ago I began experiencing double vision. Thinking it was nothing, but still playing it safe, I visited a Ophthalmologist. The Ophthalmologist said that she was ninety percent sure the double vision was “swelling of the retinal nerves.” However, just to be sure I had to go and get an MRI.
When I went and got the MRI, it went very smoothly. However, when my father and I met with the doctor they told us that the scan revealed a brain tumor. They told us that we immediately had to drive down to CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia). When I arrived at the hospital I was taken to the Emergency Room. Later I was transfered to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit).
By the end of the night we were meeting with surgeons preparing to go into surgery the following day. In one day I went from having a precautionary MRI, and hopefully then going to school, to lying in the ICU getting prepped for neurosurgery.
When I woke up from surgery I was rather sick at first. Later on my family and I met with the surgeons who said that because of where the tumor was located the doctors would take the entire tumor out. The tumor is located on my retinal nerves and cutting it out would result in blindness. However, they took a piece of the tumor for testing and that my family would be meeting with an Oncologist soon.
When the tests came back the results showed that the tumor was grade 1 and benign. (Score!!) This meant that the tumor and my condition would be treatable. However, it did mean that once I was out of the hospital I would have to start chemotherapy.
I was in the hospital for six days and they were drama and intensity filled. However, the nurses and doctors down at CHOP were amazing and I cannot thank them enough. I was lucky enough to have so many amazing people come and visit me in the hospital. I’ve never received so much mail and so many gift baskets! I’m very thankful for so much support.
Now that I’m out of the hospital I just finished my forth week of chemotherapy. Honestly, I hate chemotherapy and the way it makes me feel. However, as long as it’s working, it’s worth it.
So there’s the rough background of my “journey!” The process is forever ongoing so I’ll hopefully be posting often. Thanks for reading and following my story.
I’d love to hear back from some of you, please leave me a comment!
-Josh
Josh's Journey 
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