Monday, March 16, 2020

PRAYERS

Friends, many of you have asked me off-line why the recent silence on these pages. 

I want to ask you for your prayers for our son, Josh.

Josh is a 53 year-old father of three, an entrepreneur in New York City -- healthy and fit. An athlete -- a 4-year starter as Cornell's point guard and a starter on three United States Maccabiah Games basketball team. He continued to play actively until last week...and last week now seems so long, long ago. 

Two weeks ago, Josh tripped over a computer cord in hius office, fell and hit his head on the concrete floor. Josh began to experience some vision and memory issues to the point that on Monday of last week he was rushed to NYU-Langone where the doctors discovered some "minor blood leakage" on the brain. 

The next day, Josh reached me while I was traveling for JNF-USA and delivered the most devastating news possible: an MRI and further tests had disclosed that he has Glioblastoma -- the cancer that has taken the lives of among others, Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain. This horrific brain cancer was totally unrelated to that fall the week earlier.

As I write this, our son is being prepped for brain surgery at Columbia University Medical Center. He could not be in better hands but the present and the future are beyond daunting.

Our son has an incredible support system -- his siblings and their spouses, his children, ex-wife and his significant other, our extended family and Josh's great, life-long friends and, of course, his parents.

Please include Josh in your prayers.

With great appreciation,

Richard

7 comments:

myprettywife said...

Here's wishing your son a quick and complete recovery.

And here's also wishing that you and your family find strength and comfort from one another through what must be an incredibly difficult time.

WillieH. said...

What is Josh's Hebrew name and his mother's hebrew name.
Wishing him a Refuah shlayma

Laura Kaplansky said...

Richard - adding Josh to my prayers. How hard it must have been for you to write that post..

Michael Appel said...

Thinking of you and your son and your family. My wishes for a successful treatment.

Lou Feldstein said...

May he, and your entire family find strength. Praying for a refuah shlemah

RWEX said...

Friends,

I want to thank each of you and the many, many more who have written me directly for your beautiful thoughts and prayers and love. (Josh's Hebrew name is Yaakov and his mother's, Rachel.)

Brain surgery this past Monday removed 95% of the tumor but there is a long and treacherous path ahead for Josh.

We are all comforted by your support.

Richard

Boaz Meir said...

Richard,
Your son is in good hands, and in iur hearts, thoughts and prayers. We all wish and hope for a successful recovery.
Hugs, Boaz