› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Josh
- This topic has 32 replies, 26 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 5 months ago by jbronicki.
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- June 1, 2017 at 8:33 pm
I wasn't sure if anybody would see this when I posted it under the last inquiry about Josh. Hence, the new topic.
Josh brings so much to the message board and has always been the person I look to here for info on the rare "desmoplastic mel" diagnosis. We use the same doctors and he has always been just a step ahead of us in treatment (my husband is also stage IV). When I couldn't find him on the message boards anymore I got scared and somewhat stalker-y. I was able to locate his brother who had set up a go fund me page for Josh. I sent him an email inquiring about Josh and got this reply:
Hi, Nancy
I was with josh last night and read your email to him he was touched! My brother is fighting, he was put on hospice two weeks ago. They have stopped treatments and now the hard part . Josh is a wonderful person and has done so many good things in his life.
He served his country in the Marines he is an amazing father , husband and the best big brother anyone could ask for. There will be a special place in heaven for him. He has touched so many on his journey. We pray for your family and for your husband to heal. God bless and thank you for reaching out it mean a lot.
MikeI know many were wondering about him and I tried to convey how important Josh is to us all. Keep his family in your thoughts and prayers as they go down the road none of us wish we were traveling.
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- June 1, 2017 at 8:42 pm
Oh maaaaaan. 🙁 I don't even know what to say. This sucks. I pray for peace for him and his family.
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- June 1, 2017 at 8:55 pm
This is hard to read. I wish Josh and his family peace and love during this time. I wish there was more time for all our friends that are seeing the end of the road… lots lots more time.
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- June 1, 2017 at 9:55 pm
This makes me so sad. I will always remember Josh for his unending optimism and fight.
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- June 2, 2017 at 12:39 am
Oh, my sweet Joshie. I will hold you in my heart….always. c
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- June 2, 2017 at 2:10 am
Thank you for the update but the news is beyond sad. I so badly wanted him, as all others on here, to conquer this disease. Josh's soul and spirit were so infectious – I just wanted to get on the front-line and fight with him and for him. Prayers to all.
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- June 2, 2017 at 3:48 am
Thank you, Nancy. I, too, became a bit of a stalker and sent his wife, Gina, a private message asking if they could possibly give an update. Now I know why I haven't heard back. I'm sure they are simply soaking up as much family time as they can possibly get.
Josh, if you happen to read this, know that I am wrapping you and your family in cyber hugs. You've always been such an inspiration to those here, and just a great example of a friend, husband and father. Be strong, my friend.
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- June 2, 2017 at 6:50 am
Josh has been the most amazing warrior. Truly an inspiration to all here. Damn I hate this insidious disease. This is just too hard to take. Thank you Josh for your love and support, and showing us what backbone really is. May the force be with you always.
"a hui ho" my friend
Gary
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- June 2, 2017 at 7:48 am
So upsetting to read this. I pray for peace during this final stage surrounded by those he loves. He really gave so much to everyone on this forum by sharing his journey and being a cheerleader with all his encouragement for others.
i know that he will get on so well with my husband, Juan, when they meet in heaven.
Maria
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- June 2, 2017 at 1:40 pm
May love and light surround Josh and his family at this difficult time.
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- June 2, 2017 at 2:21 pm
Certiainly not the news i was hoping to read…..i kept hoping that TIL was working and he was home getting stronger…..I am so sad for him and his family. It was obvious from all his posts that was a devoted Dad and husband……just too heartbreaking.
So much sad news lately….jamie, and now this josh update.
My heart breaks for their families..
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- June 2, 2017 at 5:13 pm
I can't regroup since I read this post, I am heartbroken… Josh means so much to me, I can't explain it, but his soul spoke to me, I felt his hope, his fear, his goodness, his enormous love for his family…
I feel so bad knowing that he is where no one can imagine himself beeing… Praying he doesn't feel lonely and scared and gets to enjoy his wife and kids for as long as possible…
Heartbroken….
Patrisa
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- June 2, 2017 at 9:05 pm
I hadnt been on these boards since my husband passed in January, but something made me check today. I am so sorry to ehar this about Josh, I wanted him to be a success story. He has given so much to folks here and his presence will be sorely missed.
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- June 3, 2017 at 2:36 pm
So it has taken me a whole day to gather my thoughts enough to post this. Obviously Josh meant a lot to alot of us here. I would like to share what he meant to me. When I first started this journey 4 years ago now, I was just like all the rest of you, scared shitless! I am a mother to 4 boys, young at the time. I am a internet junkie, meaning I research everything. Once I saw the statistics, the old statistics, I thought for sure I was going to die in the next couple of years. I was given the option of Interferon or a trial. I was so scared of taking Ipi so I was just about ready to go with Interferon when I found this board. I read some amazing stories about Immunotherapy and was sold but the two people that gave me tremendous hope was Josh and Celeste. I even told their stories to my onc. Celeste was obvious because she has a wealth of knowledge but Josh, I don't even know what it was about him. I guess I could tell that he was a genuinely good guy. When Artie started progressing this board of people just became so strong together and I think Josh had to do with that. When Artie passed it was so hard on all of us but especially Josh. After that he seemed to kinda step into Artie's role a little bit in that he was always posting great things to people. Which then he got so close with Paul. Paul and Josh were both great guys and everyone loved to read their posts. I think Josh lost a lot of hope when his dear friend Paul passed. That too was hard on all of us. Now to think about our beloved Josh in this same situation just absolutely breaks my heart as I can see it does all of yours as well. I know personally this has been a punch in the face to me because I just hit the 4 year mark and I have allowed myself to think maybe I've beat this for good. Then I think about Josh and he thought the same thing, until it returned with a vengance. I know I will sure be thinking about our good lost friends every day as I make choices in my life to be the best I can be. I hope Josh is able to hear how much he means to all of us before he goes. My life has been tremendously touched by someone I've never even met and he probably has no idea. I will pray for his wife and his 2 kids, his brother and everyone else as I'm sure he has left an impact on many peoples lives. As I write this Artie's picture is on the side of the page and I'm sure he's looking down on Josh right now, just waiting to see his good friend again. I feel this is some kind of a sign, as I have never seen Artie's on here!
Rachel
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- June 4, 2017 at 4:02 pm
I hate this news. I know I was touched by Josh and his journey, and I don't think anyone in this group can say otherwise. He's an amazing soul, and my heart hurts for his family.
Lauren
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- June 5, 2017 at 1:04 am
No words. Everyone has already said it all. Deeply saddened.
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- June 5, 2017 at 12:03 pm
I've been trying to stay off the forum since for a while, but something made me check this morning. I think since my husband's scans are in two days and I've always linked him with Josh (very similar cases), that I was ready to hear how Josh had just rocked the new treatment and was making a full comeback. I always check for Josh updates before anything else. I'm devastated to hear the news about Josh. I'm crying for him, his family and all of us right now. It's so frickin' ridiculous. I don't get it. I'm so sorry Josh, it's just not fair. We just lost my brother a month ago, another Marine. Semper fi. Gosh darn it (insert other words in here), this sucks.
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- June 5, 2017 at 5:14 pm
Jackie, I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. I lost my brother ten years ago this New Year's Eve, and I still think about him every day. I will be thinking of you as you walk through the grief, and also for your husband's scans.
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- June 6, 2017 at 4:56 pm
Thank you so much, that means a great deal to me to hear kind words and my brother would appreciate it to. I'm just trying to keep it together before the scans, you never know what you are going to hear, it's overwhelming to me, some people handle it WAY better!
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- June 6, 2017 at 1:50 am
I am heartbroken. I pray for his family to have peace.
xo Jen
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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