Reflections of The Heart

And this update is going to be pretty short…i promise once I’m feeling better that I’ll catch everyone up…this round of chemo def. worse than last (which I’m told is normal)…home now but still feeling…well truthfully for the first time I FEEL like I have cancer…it’s not a fun feeling…do whatever you have to to [...]

going to be super short…dizziness gone…was replaced with naseau earlier this morning…that went away about noon…have had impossible time staying awake…going to sign back off now and go back to sleep….love to all peace out.

Well it took awhile today but we’re here and underway.  A HUGE shoutout to Elizabeth for driving my mama and I here today and hanging out with us afterwards…Mama’s back is still pretty bad but better than it was…bless her but she’s here with me!!!  Everything’s pretty normal right now…getting ready for the chemo drugs…ohhh [...]

I had another name in mind for this post, however attempting to encapsulate all I wish to share in the post into a concise name was proving difficult and seeing as this may turn out to be the longest post I’ve ever posted (and when all three parts are posted it will be I’m sure) [...]

So saw Dr. Rao yesterday…looks like my tumor is responding to chemo…it’s not much smaller yet but it is a lot softer and the surrounding muscle isn’t nearly as tight…my blood culture from Wednesday came back positive but they aren’t sure positive for what yet…it may be a skin contaminant (i.e. some bacteria on my [...]

Ok now that I have your attention…no really get ready for some giggles and possibly tears…this post may contain both.
So why title the post “Romanticizing the prostate”?  B/c my mama (the best mama ever in case I’ve neglected to mention it) is too funny.  So yesterday we had an appointment with the radiation oncologist to [...]

Well temp is down…woohoo…unfortuneately I have cramps like a beeahtch this morning (weird since I thought this lupron stuff was supposed to shut down my ovaries…apparently not after the first dose)…also so much for the thick hair theory…it’s about 75-80% gone right now, the lion’s share having fell out yesterday…the poor blanket i was using [...]

Ok this’ll be brief again, sorry (  rough day…very tired all day, have had a difficult time staying awake…fever got up to 101.0 again so off to the dr.’s office for blood work…everything came back fine…WBC and RBC were fine though they were worried about RBC b/c I was so pale…had a major dizzy [...]

Sorry no post Sunday or Yesterday…was feeling kinda blah both days…not really bad, but really tired and my tummy was upset most of both days…tummy still a bit upset today (not sure what’s up with that (…) and I’m still really tired…keep taking little naps…otherwise all is ok…my hair is starting to fall out…i [...]

So, today was fabulous. )  ) ) )
For those who don’t know (and really few of you do I’m sure regardless how well you know me b/c this is a pretty well kept secret of mine)…Saturday mornings are my absolute favorite time of the week…ESPECIALLY Saturdays between May and October…I have [...]

I know this b/c I had the least fun experience last night about 10:00 pm in the ER getting lab work done.  My temp went up to 101.3 yesterday (booooo) so we called Dr. Rao who sent us in for blood work.  Now through this whole ordeal I’ve had a lot of blood drawn and [...]

Happy Hump Day.  It was a rather long night for me last night…sleep was elusive though I couldn’t stay awake…my tummy was killing me and my fever just kept creeping up by .1 degree every 1/2 hour…finally got it to go back down and fell asleep asleep around 1:00 am whew I tell you [...]

I just had some pringles that actually tasted like pringles and a scoop of chocolate ice cream that tasted like chocolate ice cream!!!!  WOOOOOOHOOOOOO

Hi everyone…it’s actually Johnna…I know shocker…this prolly won’t be long as typing does take a bit out of me (ironic isn’t it)…doing ok today…having a few digestive problems and still super tired (i usually am up for about an hour then sleep for 3 then up for an hour then sleep for 3) but otherwise [...]

We’ve set up a benefit account at ISPFCU.  Checks can be made out to Johnna Hood Benefit Fund and mailed to
ISPFCU
730 Engineering Ave.
Springfield, IL 62703
 
 
Thanks everyone!
Kara
 
 
 

This is Kara… Jo added me as a contributor so that I can update when she’s not feeling well and can talk about benefit stuff.  We’re still trying to find a date for the benefit.  It’s a tough summer with weddings and all.  But I’m pushing for July 19th.  I know that will be the [...]

Zac and Sharah came to visit over lunch!  YAY!  I miss them bunches…love you both dearly.
Still sleeping a lot…still having difficulty not feeling like I want to puke every 5 seconds…still in good spirits though just way tired…hopefully more upbeat things in a day or so once i start back up on the upswing of [...]

I couldn’t afford flowers for everyone so…here ya go.
No really as I sit here and ponder about today I have to share some pretty important thoughts. First of all, motherhood is a state of mind not a biological condition.  The nurturing, protection, love, encouragement, and overall “mom factor” that comes with motherhood I firmly believe [...]

I had a difficult time naming this one…I wanted to name it
Cancer sucks, but chemo super sucks
but then i thought about it and was like well chemo sucks but cancer super sucks
Both are accurate depending on what part of me is speaking…my body right now is definitely saying cancer sucks but chemo SUPER sucks while [...]

ok let’s see where am i right now…incredibly uncomfortable…i feel like i’ve had to pee and hold it for an hour and a half or a really long time you know the really long time that results in literally pain to your bladder???  I keep trying to get someone’s attention to talk about it and [...]

Good morning all…so last night was fun…(being sarcastic)…no really it wasn’t that bad…i didn’t get much sleep…in fact i was up at 5:00 whodathunkit?  anywho…first round of ifosfomide and mesna is done…started the 48 hours of doxyrubicin (i think that’s how it’s spelled) at 11:00 last night so it won’t be done until 11pm on [...]

So still no chemo yet…Dr. Rao just came by to visit and didn’t know why it hadn’t started yet…his resident is concerned still about a possible blod clot in my leg so I think we’re going to do some imaging of my lower leg (apparently it’s swollen…it’s been tender for a while now so has [...]

Ok so I’m actually in the hospital now (Memorial room E277)…haven’t actually started the chemo yet (yes I know it’s 2:00  pm and we were supposed to start at 9 am…apparently there has been a surge of cancer patients in the spfld area…MMC oncology unit and St. John’s oncology unit are full up right now [...]

Good Sunday evening all.  Sorry no update yesterday or earlier today.  It’s been an interesting weekend.  Yay I got to go and stay at Daddy’s a little bit yesterday which was great.  Saw Daddy and Lu, and Jess and Eddie and Hayleigh and Andrew all of whom I haven’t seen in a while…I was feeling funny [...]

Hey kids…this is actually Johnna this time )  yay…feeling about 80% today which is a vast improvement from Wednesday.  Met with the oncologists today…signed up for the clinical trial…will start treatment next week.  We don’t know what the stage is yet…there seems to be some question as to the grade of the tumor (though [...]