THIS IS AN ARCHIVE OF PAST EVENTS. THOUGH JOSHUA IS STILL IN DUKE HOSPITAL-FOR OVER 9 MONTHS: PLEASE PRAY HES RELEASED HOME TO HIS FAMILY. THIS IS HIS DESIRE.

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15 year old Joshua G. has been in Duke Hospital over 150 days. He's currently being held against will due to unjust actions by Duke and ACDSS. He's only allowed visitation by his mom / sister 5 hours per week. He was alone on Christmas and alone on New Years. Read full story below and please sign the petition to help FREE JOSHUA G!

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As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Psalm 127 4-6

According to the Bible, children are a heritage of the Lord, and it is certainly true of my children.  After struggling with infertility for over a decade, God blessed me to become a mother to twins. My children are a gift from the Almighty.  Ultimately they don't belong to me, the hospital, nor the government. They belong to their Father in Heaven. He allowed me the privilege of stewarding over them and raising them in the nurture and admonition of Him. I have never denied my inalienable rights endowed to me by God. And I have not forgone my constitutional rights now nor ever as alleged by DSS.  From the moment I received the joyous news that I was having twins, I have endeavored to always work hard as unto the Lord to raise my son and daughter.  This included providing for their physical, material, emotional, educational ,and spiritual needs.

No one knows my son better than I do. His aspirations, his ideas, his interests, his aptitudes, his idiosyncrisies, and his health conditions. I have taken care of my son every day from his birth in 2009 til September 5, 2024, the day he entered Duke hospital.  And I've been by his side every day since his admission until I was unethically ejected on December 11th. I've stayed by his side to love him,help him, and advocate for him. With God on our side, we've been able to participate in Joshua's healthcare.  This includes seeing him through a torturous 40 days on a ventilator.  It includes requesting an airway evaluation to see if we could avoid a tracheotomy for Joshua. Thankfully, we received the airway evaluation, which showed that all of the structures of neck and throat were intact and functioning. I'm so grateful my precious son didn't wind up breathing through a hole in his throat, though doctors were ready to go that way. I only asked doctors to delay the airway evaluation for a few days to try avoiding a drug interaction, which I understood to be dangerous. He was on a wean from Ativan, a sedating benzodiazepine.  They needed to use Fentanyl during the airway evaluation,  which is contraindicated from my research. I later realized Duke doctors weren't concerned about this. However, out of concern, I asked to delay for a few days. I do believe it was the right course of action as ultimately it resulted in Josh not needed a tracheotomy. As of December 9,  after a FEES swallowing test, Joshua progressed to eating a puree / thick liquid diet. A few weeks ago, this seemed impossible.  I'm so proud of how Joshua has persevered and worked hard to overcome the detrimental after effects of major surgery and intubation.  He is truly amazing!

I believe Duke doctors have strived to do what they believe he needed.  The surgery, EVD, and airway evaluation and now the small protein therapies : Debrafinib, Trametinib and bi-weekly Avastin. However, now it seems Joshua’s progress has slowed due to not having me by his side. He's become more withdrawn due to sadness and isolation.  This is an avoidable complication for Joshua.  I implore you doctors to allow me and advocate for me to be with Joshua! Don't harden your hearts! Joshua is an innocent teen who only wants to heal and be home with his mom and family. Don't stand idly by and see him  practically incarcerated with no due process.  This is his reality right now! What if this was your son?

Joshua needs an advocate he is in a vulnerable situation. He is speaking intermittently,  yet not consistently. I am his best advocate. Going to Levine Hospital with me is ok. Who on earth should accompany him but his mom? He surely won't have to fight alone? I can help get the outcomes we all want for Joshua.  He should not be forced to do this alone, with strangers! That is just cruel! I want to experience the emerging responsiveness program and receive the training that would be invaluable to Joshua.  I'm even planning to go for my CNA license,  it only takes 6 weeks.

Joshua needs healing from a brain tumor and now incurred trauma.  There are intangible and real things Joshua needs: parental and family love and affection,  home cooked meals, his own room with love and faith surrounding him as it always has at home. I already own most of  the medical devices needed for Joshua to rehab at my home, including a walker, wheelchair,  tub bench, and a hoyer lift. I'm certain I can obtain any further needed items.

For the past 15 years, I've given  unconditional love to my children and reared them with God as the center. I have a right to do so.   It's been a beautiful journey. I'm so taken with the gift God gave me. I hold my children close to me to protect them and  raise them in the nurturing faith of our Lord. Though I've done it without my husband at times, it's always been a joy and a privilege.  I know being a mother  has been my life's highest and most important calling.  Children are the future and we're expected to leave our progeny and this world better.

No man, woman, or govering power should rob my son of devoted family. Releasing him to  strangers or hirelings would, perhaps, care for his flesh. But they'd never be able to nurture his mind, soul, and spirit like his mother, father,  and sister, who deeply understand and love Joshua.

Josh has special needs and I am willing to keep learning how to deal with them. I already have the intimate knowledge of his overall needs and how to best meet them.  If he has any hopes of returning to functionality,  we have to give him a support team, which includes family.

Simply medicines and surgery with strangers handling him in a sterile setting won't do it! My gentle and loving son desires to heal and recuperate with his mom and family. He will obtain the best outcomes there.  If I honestly thought DSS placement would produce better outcomes for my son, I'd be for that because I truly want the very best for him. Because he IS  the very best!

I have and will continue to make  my children first priority.  Stewarding over them is the most important responsibility I have ever been granted.  By apathy or action, don't come between a family who wants to  care for their son. I believe in  medical treatment.  This works best with nurturing and love, not force and mandates.

Please honor Joshua’s desires and allow me to be by his side. And let Joshua come home and heal!

"This is what we must do—not to sleep well when people suffer anywhere in the world...Not to sleep well when there are people sick and nobody is there to help them. Not to sleep well when anyone somewhere needs you.”  - Elie Wiesel