Friday, August 31, 2007

Hello - Christi - Things here are finally slowing down a little. thankfully. Bo and I went to Duke on Wednesday to check and see how the procedure is doing and everything is looking good. He is still really sore and the talc powder, glue, they put in his lung still irritates him to where he coughs some, but this lung is still up. Yeah. He also got to do his chemotherapy, Avastin, which was huge for Bo. This has been what kept things stable with the Tarceva. So we are more comfortable with him on it.
On another note, Addi starts gymnastics today with her friend Patterson. We are so excited, do not worry I am sure there will be a million pictures taken and a few posted out here. So we are off to try some flips.
Take care
Christi

Tuesday, August 28, 2007


Got Ice cream...for some reason our daughter loves her cowgirl hat!


Monday, August 27, 2007

Hello. This is Bo for the first time in awhile. Christi and Tracia have been doing a wonderful job keeping you informed, and I thank them both for that.

What can I say about staying in a hospital? First, it was not fun. While the nurses on 9300 were awesome and made it very pleasant, overall, I am not a fan. I do want to make sure I say hello to the nurses up thee, because without them, I would have been lost. I can not tell you what all they did to me because they had me drugged up, but I must say, it was pleasant. There are too many to name and I am afraid I would forget one any way. I will tell you guys out there, there is a hot one (super smart too!) that is 25 and single.... I will not say here name, but I hope she gets someone good. I can say good things about all of them. I do have to say one tried hard to mask a northern accent, and I did have an international friend up there.... I had a few visitors, and I appreciate them coming. Nick, Steve, Trace, Lauren, Kristen, Carline, Mom, Bill, and Christi/Addi of course. If I forgot someone, please let me know!

I am very grateful to be out.

My Uncle Terry in Kansas sent the following and I thought it was important:



In reference to organ transplants, one thing you might consider is asking your blog readers to think about signing up as organ donors. I've been signed up as an organ donor for over 30 years.
Information on becoming an organ donor is available at:
http://www.organdonor.gov/
Also, there are approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States that are currently in urgent need of organ donations. This is a matter of life and death for them.
Each state has a website that has information on how someone can become a donor. The following are websites for North Carolina and Kansas as
examples:
http://www.donatelifenc.org/
http://www.mwob.org/
There is no greater gift of life, than saving a life after our own deaths.

Got Milk????

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Even better news! We are all home again! Bo got to come home yesterday. We are back a square one of him trying to build back up to his go-go-go, but we are getting there. I think he had a better stay at the hospital this time, shorter, but we were better prepared on what to expect. Once again we had some fabulous nurses and doctors that kept him well under control and taken care of, I guess now it is my turn, of course with help with family and friends. I do think the nurses had it easier he was tube tided to the bed, so I will have to work on that one.
We are off to have some pancakes, Addi's Saturday morning breakfast and then just rest.
Take care and thank you for all the prayers that brought my husband home to me, again.
Christi and Addi

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Good News! Bo's tube is out! Looks like he might go home tomorrow! I can't wait to get him and Addi under one roof again! Yeah!
Christi
Hello - Christi here. We just wanted to let you know that things are going well. Bo is handling the pleuradesis (spelling and don't laugh you doctors and nurses our there) We found out after the fact that this is a quite painful procedure, but he is hanging in there. They said the more pain the better. It means his lung is sticking, so bring on the pain. Addi and I spent most of yesterday with Bo. And surprise, surprise she didn't take a nap at all. She was way to excited to see daddy to do something as silly as nap. You mom's out there can imagine my day. I think Bo actually sympathized with me, because he might of needed the rest more than anyone. Don't worry I took her out of the room for a while and we played throughout the hospital, now everyone knows Addi. (especially floor 5 with the fish tank) It goes to show that Addi wants her Daddy home like yesterday (which is very much her father's trait)
They clamped Bo's tube today which hopefully means it will come out in 24 hours. Then we just wait for a chest x-ray, Avastin (chemo) and he can go home. Sounds simple when I put it like that. We will just wait and see.
Addi and I are planning a visit tomorrow, but Addi's friend Kristen (babysitter at UNC) will hopefully take her for most of the day and go swimming. Then hopefully Bo will be out before we know it. Not to soon though, we want to make sure that lung stays up this time.
On another note, please send special prayers out to our friends, Jay, Micah and Gracie. Their little girl, Gabi -7 months old, passed away on Monday. She had heart complications and God just had a bigger and better plan for her. But right now her parents need some special loving and Gracie, the older sister needs some hugs her way. Please know that if we can do anything for you, we are here.
Love to all
Christi and Addi

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Hello everyone...sorry something is going on with the blog and some posts are not posting. I am truly sorry for that. For those that do not know, we had a minor setback this week. The story goes like this, Friday Bo felt like he had the "gurgling" in his chest again, which previously has been a sign of a collapsed lung. So he went to the hospital with Bill and had a Chest X-ray, and needless to say they wanted to admit him right then and there and put another tube in. Remember he just had that out on Monday night and was home Tuesday. So he talked with his doctor from Duke and they recommended him to come up for his appointment on Monday and they would look at the scans and determine what method they thought best. ((They did say to do this only if he felt good enough, he felt fine) in hopes that what the Charlotte doctors were seeing was the part of his lung that never fully inflated.)
Bo and I went to Duke on Monday, to have him admitted back into the hospital for a collapsed lung. It collapsed to where it was before. This time only air and hopes that it would come up faster since is was down for a shorter amount of time. The tube went in Monday around noon and Bo took it like a trooper now with 2 holes in his side. This afternoon they did the procedure with the talc powder that works like glue and will glue that will keep that part of his lung attached to the lung cavity. (this is a typical procedure for someone that keeps having a collapsed lung) Unfortunately this is painful for a couple of weeks. The doctors say the pain is good, we know that it is attaching, but poor Bo.
So That is where we stand right now. At first we were extremely disappointed to be back in the hospital, but Bo is doing better handling it. It helps that we have some of the same great nurses we had before. Plus we keep meeting more and more great people. School as also started so some wonderful friends that go to UNC and State have been stopping in to help pass the time.
I will try to do better on posting Bo's updates, it is complicated when I stay with him at the hospital, but we will keep you posted. For those asking, Bo is located at Duke Hospital, 2301 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27710 9th floor.
Love to All
Christi and Addi

Monday, August 20, 2007

The Johnson clan is a little busy today so they enlisted the Big Sister's help to update everyone with Bo's latest news......

Late Friday night, Bo decided that he wanted to have an X-ray of his lung because he felt like it might have collapsed again. So, he went to Presbyterian Hospital at Exit 23 that night to have the X-ray done. After the doctors at Presbyterian Hospital consulted with Bo's primary physician at Duke, they decided that although there was some evidence that the lung had partially collapsed, Bo should hold off on doing anything until he went to Duke on Monday (a pre-scheduled visit for Avastin).

This morning, after meeting with Dr.Crawford, it was determined that Bo's lung had collapsed again. The same weakened spot in his lung had not strengthen as they had hoped. He has been admitted in the hospital and around lunchtime, a tube was inserted into the lung lining to aid in re-inflating the lung. Later this afternoon, the doctors are meeting with Bo to schedule a procedure in which they will insert a special type of glue that will help to strengthen the lung lining to help prevent a collaspe in the future. It is my understanding from Christi that this a typical procedure for a second collaspe of the lung, and the main side effect of this procedure is that the glue decreases the elasticity of the lung.

Bo will remain in the hospital until the lung re-inflates. While there is not a good way of predicting how long this will take, but Bo is saying that he is coming home Thursday no matter what. Of course, his release date is up to his doctors. (Nice try, Bo!) We will try to keep the blog updated with the most recent updates as we receive them. All prayers and well wishes are appreciated!

Tracia

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Hello Everyone, Christi still...sorry hopefully soon we can Bo to do some typing. But I have really great news, Bo is home! We are so excited! He is moving a little slow and very tentative with his breathing, but at home. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have the two people I love most in the world under one roof. We are going to have to try and get Mr. Johnson to slow down so no more visits to Duke. Although we did meet some really wonderful people that make living and fighting more important than ever.
Bo left the hospital with his lung healed up, but after lying in bed for 7 days and only getting up to use the restroom, he is a little tired and winded with everything he does. I think a couple of days chasing Miss Addi around might help.
I just wanted to let everyone know that things are on the mend. I think the collapsed lung was a wake up call to all of us that the fight is still going strong. Bo is a little mentally tired right now and mad at cancer, but I know he will get through this. If anyone has any great words of encouragement and inspiration, please send them his way.
Love
Christi and Addi

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Hello everyone, Christi again. Hopefully tomorrow we can get Bo back online. Unfortunately he is still in the hospital and will probably be there through half of next week. Bo's lung is expanding back fairly well, there is just a little part that cannot seem to heal up. But there really is no time frame for this and no matter what, nothing would fit Bo's time frame. (he is ready to go now, but knows he should do want is best for his body) The doctor's decided to leave the tube in over the weekend to give his body more time to self heal. Dr. Crawford is going to speak with the thoracic surgeons on Monday for the best course of action. We really have three options, keep waiting (ugh), perform a procedure that will essentially, in crude terms, glue his lung to the lining, or pray his body heals itself. Either option they are looking to make sure this will not happen many more times. Bo is in good spirits, still a lot of pain so he using a lot of their pain medicine. So if you call be aware of the slurred speech due to the medicine. But his is starting to go stir crazy so please shoot him and email or phone call to help pass the time. They will hopefully know something Monday, perform whatever they are going to due by Tuesday so he can be home net Thursday or Friday. Those are hopefully the latest dates out there. Everything is so much up in the air depending on what his body does.
I do have to say thank you to everyone that has sent their well wishes and helped out with Addi. A huge THANK YOU to Sarah and Sue (Joy and Barb) and all the nurses at Duke. They are incredible for their work and for the time they spend talking with Bo. As you all know him he likes to talk and has told them his life story and they have nicely shared most of theirs. We do not have one complaint about the staff at Duke, Bo just isn't loving the food.
take care everyone and I will update more later and like I mentioned hopefully Bo will be online late tomorrow. (I got him a wireless Internet card)
Christi and Addi
Sorry for the typos I missed. A little tired here.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

I just wanted to post a quick update. Bo is doing better. Unfortunately Bo has both air and fluid where his lung collapsed, not that that is any worse or better, just more complicated to remove. But it is starting to come out, of course not fast enough for Bo, but coming out. He is doing better with his pain medicine is able to rest more comfortably. So now we just wait for it to come out and if you ask me I am thinking they are trying to get all the hot air out of him which could be hopeless. Just kidding
I do have to say that whenever I talk to the nurses station, whomever it may be, they always seem to know him on a first name basis. I am not sure if that is good or bad, but he does seem to be a hit up there.
Anyway, Addi and I are off to spend the day with him. We will try and write more when we get back.
Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers. They are working!
Christi and Addi

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Hello everyone, Christi here. Sorry this is the first chance I have had to post on our results from yesterday. Yesterday was interesting to say the least, we certainly had mixed feelings. Bo was anxious for a reason. We found out he has another collapsed lung, but this time more severe than last and he has been admitted into the hospital with a tube put into his side to help inflate his lung again. This is in the same area it was previously, so we are going to try and figure out if this will be reoccurring or what is causing this to happen. On the other side, from the inflated lung it appears that the cancer is stable still. So great news, but it is hard to tell because his lung other lung is partially collapsed. He is in good spirits, a little drugged up - actually a lot. But the nurses insist that having a tube in your side is extremely painful with all the nerve endings protecting those vital organs, so he isn't just enjoying life. They think he might have to stay throughout the weekend depending on how fast his body heals itself. The longer the lung with deflated, the longer it takes to inflate. I do have to say the doctors were shocked that Bo was walking around and golfing with his lung like this, but we all know he is a stud. I will certainly pass his well wishes along and please keep praying for a full and quick recovery.
Take care and I will post more later
Christi and Addi

Monday, August 06, 2007

I just wanted to send a little request out. Bo and I are a little anxious this month about scans, no reason in particular, other than we are trying to figure out how to live with cancer. So when you are praying tonight, will you send a little extra to help calm our nerves. Bo's got high blood pressure anyway because of some medicines, so we need a little Zin from everyone.
Thanks and we will post as soon as possible the scan results.
Love
Christi and Addi

Wednesday, August 01, 2007




Hello Everyone, that is still out there...with today's blog I must make a warning. Too much information about Christi, via Addi's dressing up. Kids do the funniest things and needless to say Addi found herself a new hat. Unfortunately that isn't a beret on her head, but Mommy's (new) underwear. We have been talking about potty training and well I guess she wants to wear big girl panties. Hehehehe I am funny today.

Also I wanted to mention the dress is for Papa in Kansas. It reminded us of his denim shirts he wears to work in the winter time. I was funny as a kid also and teased him about what he would wear to work each morning and ask him "Denim".
Anyway, things here have been alright. Bo got the ol stomach bug that has been going around and so he was down and out for a couple days (Sunday until today) but he is feeling better. I thought Addi might have something, but I am beginning to think more and more it is hear 2 year molars coming in. She had one break through months ago, but I believe the others are one their way. I shouldn't complain because I had it easy with everything except molars so far.
Addi and I wanted to thank everyone for the wonderful event and time in Kansas. We had such a great time, raised a bunch of money, Addi got to ride a horse, and I got to hear how country I am sounding. I am currently enrolled in speech classes her thanks to the interview from Channel 6.
Nothing else new really to report other than I did some shopping (not in New York) and I bought some underwear. I warned you to much info.Take care everyone and for those not feeling well get better, Cyndi.
Love
Christi and Addi