Controller is firing but I can't get the $_GET

I didn't realize that there needed to be an "=" to use $_GET in php. But as I was saying I am not even getting to the $_GET["email"] line in my controller.  I am using JSON.stringify of my array which contains "lat", x, "long", y, "email", email_address. Perhaps that is the mistake? I can surely use POST instead of GET if nothing else needs to change in the xhr.open().  I took a look at the network messages and it seems that the message from the client is OK (except for the lack of "=" !) but it is stuck in status = pending which I think is a problem with the server and the way I have set up the debugger in phpStorm.  I put in a support request from them but it could easily be a week before they respond. In the meantime I will try POST to see if it changes things. I also tried switching to just sending "email=". This is the header using =

1. Request URL:
   http://localhost/Subit_backend/[email protected]
   
   
2. Referrer Policy:
   no-referrer-when-downgrade
   

But the communication is stuck in "pending". But when I turn off the "Listen for PHP debug Connections" in phpStorm, status = 200. But I can't debug. I have a document called Simultaneous debugging sessions with phpStorm printed out that I will read over this morning. It talks about debugging both the client and the server under phpStorm which I really don't want to do (since this is an extension), but who knows?

proof that an old dog can learn new tricks