Joshua & Michael Garman: Less Then A Month To Go

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Less Then A Month To Go

We are now back from Houston, TX. The trip itself was a success and it looks as if we will have to return every 3-6 months depending on what Joshua will need to have done. There will be lots of new tests to be done. We are still not sure if Michael will have to return with us. He had to have some additional lab work done while we were there. Should those labs come back with issues it looks like we will also probably be taking a trip to Atlanta, GA to the diagnostic facility down there.

It is now just one day shy of a month to go until the benefit. PLEASE get those ticket requests in ASAP. We need to have a good idea of how many people will be in attendance. If you have items for the auction we are asking that you have them to us by the weekend prior. That would be November 15 and 16th. If you can hand out fliers please let me know so that I can make sure that you have them or a copy of the PDF format so you can print it from your PC. In the next day or two I will be posting a list of items that we could still use to be donated for decorations/tableware.

THANK YOU ALL!!!! Please help make this a success.

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My Story

Joshua was born in 2005 and developed normally until he was 4 months old, he was the perfect baby. In December, in his fathers arms, Joshua had his first seizure. We took him to the local hospital only to be sent home being told it was a childhood seizure and not to worry. The next day he had another one and we found ourselves spending 3 days at Cooper Hospital.
Doctors had no answers by the time we left and Joshua had been placed on seizure medications. Our pediatrician at the time looked at his labs and had us get new ones ran. At his 6 month old check up he told me he thought that Joshua happened to have the same disease his son had. He sent Joshuas information to a specialist in this disorder and that June right before his 1st birthday we flew him to Atlanta, GA.

The doctors did a live muscle biopsy and ran many tests to see what was causing the seizures and the developemental delays. After 4 months of waiting, right before Halloween we got the news that Joshua has Mitochondrial Disease Complex I.
Mitochondrial Disease is a life-threatening disease with no cure or medication. Joshua's body does not produce enough energy for him to sustain life properly.

Joshua has had seizures, developmental delays, loss of speech when sick, hemiparesis, dysautonomia, and a comprimised immune system. He is a tough little cookie and tries to not allow these things to hold him back. Recently, Joshua's brother Michael, was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disease also. He was diagnosed through a mouth swab done at St. Christopher's Hospital for Chrildren.

Michael is just as fiesty but has his own set of medical issues. For Michael, the disease affects his GI system and gives him significant sensory dysfunction. He was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea and underwent surgery to remove his tonsills and adenoids in hopes to fix the problem.

Doctors at St. Christopher's are now keeping an eye on George the newest addition to our family. Dispite all of their issues the boys are happy and overcome any obstacles that this disease places on them.

Looking at Joshua and Michael you would never know that there is something wrong with them. They lighten up the lives of those who know and love them. We could not immagine life without them.