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3 - 4News and Messages 2009LET'S CRUISE!! Greetings to all Family and Friends in the Johnson Tree of Life. Here is the latest information from the Circle of Friends International Family and Friendship Network...all 390 families strong in 30 states and the Caribbean/Hawaii. News you can Use: The Oasis of the Seas has crossed the Atlantic this week and it is now "home-ported" in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It carries 6,296 passengers and a crew of 2,000. That is a floating city of 8,000 human beings. There are 7 different "neighborhoods" on the ship to explore, including a 300 foot "City Park" style venue. The costs are similar to what I spent to take ten folks on Royal Carribean this past August 1-8th. Anyone in the Circle of Friends Family and Friendship Network can join my "group" for the 2012 Cruise. I have not set the exact date because this will depend on how many folks are available and at what time of the year. However, if one travels in the month of August, the rates are always the smallest ! Hence, the base rate should range between 790-850 per person for the basic cabin upgrade along with about $ 159-$175 for the additional port fees (these are mandatory). The travel agent, Darlene Thomas of New Orleans will again be our coordinator for this Cruise. If you want to participate, you will need to save $ 30-35 dollars per month per person for the next 36 months and this should cover your costs ! Persons who are at 90% of their final costs may receive additional funds from the Circle of Friends Fund to assist them to make their final payment(s). This depends on the stock market balance in the Circle of Friends Portfolio. This past August, this portfolio was able to help FIVE persons complete their Cruise Savings so that they could sail with me. Thus, the market of this country is a great help at times to boost one's income. Send me an e-mail to let me know if you and your family are interested in sailing with me in 2012. I use this as a mini-family reunion venue. By the way, in 2011, the newest Royal Caribbean Ship will be named the Allure of the Seas. It will then become the biggest Cruise Ship in the World. It will top the size of the Oasis of the Seas. I plan to sail on this one in 2015...as you can determine, Cruising is the Circle of Friends first choice for large family and friends gatherings...no cleanups, no cooking and no need to entertain, the Ship provides all of these services at no additional cost...the best value for my dollars here ! Bless all of you future "Sailors" along with the Mistress of Mischief, yours, Truly, Cousin Mary Johnson-Thigpen INTERESTING READ Young family member John Michael Gardner Jr. has an interesting post on a popular website for teens (Teen Ink). You can check it out here. NEWLYWEDS!! On June 27th 2009, Richard L. Johnson (Grandson of Betty Johnson) was married to Tina Runnels. The couple would like to say "Thank you" to everyone involved on thier special day. LATEST ON ROSLIN Hello family. I was hospitalized on the 28th of May for having an infection in my blood as well as my lymph node on the left side of my throat, causing the chemo to come up through my mouth while choking me and causing me to throw up. My mother and I came to Birmingham for my doctor to treat my lymph node as well as an infection in my big toe due to a pedicurist whom did not cut away enough of my ingrown toenail on my big toe causing it to get infected and I also hit it on the wooden table at my squadron. Once I got to Birmingham, I was rushed to the ER where they immediately began giving me antibiotics through my port every 6 hours. Today my vital signs and white blood cell count are fine and I received my last bag of antibiotics at 4 a.m. this morning. So, after 13 days and about 25 antibiotic bags, Im finally well enough to leave the UAB Hospital and return to the Wynfry Hotel to join my mother where we will return to Panama City Florida Friday afternoon. Thank you all for your phone calls and prayers. Dr. Foran has informed me that my brain tumor has all but disappeared from the chemo and my lymph nodes have shrunk considerably since the last scan. I am in remission, I only have three more chemo sessions and I'll be done with chemotherapy. Since the chemo also shrunk the brain tumor, I no longer have to have radiation. Once I'm done with chemo, he'll work on getting my white blood cells back to where I can fight infection on my own without the help of medicine. After saying all this, the only thing left for me to say is that God is Good, all the time. Let go and Let God. With your prayers and my strong faith and support of family and friends all over the world, I am healed. Thank you all, and as we continue this journey to remission keep me in your prayers and as always, you'll be in ours. God Bless you all!!! ROSLIN Hello everyone. I just dropped by to let everyone know that my white blood cell count was high enough for me to receive treatement this week. Everything is going well and I feel great. They won't be able to tell me if it is actually working until after the 5th or 6th treatment. We will be leaving Birmingham on Saturday May 9th returning to Panama City. My next session is scheduled for June 3rd-5th. Since my white blood cell count seems to run low after treatment I'm going to start getting my blood work done the Monday before I'm scheduled to leave for chemo at the hospital on base so we don't run in to these problems with me having to be in birmingham longer than expected. I hope everyone is doing well and getting ready for Mother's Day. Have a blessed week and thank you for all your support. ROSLIN My mother and I went to the Kirklin Clinic yesterday morning for chemotherapy but my white blood cell count was again too low to receive the treatment. The doctor said that there is nothing that I can do to make my white blood cell count go up on my own. He said that it is very common in African Americans to genrally have a low white blood cell count. They are going to try next week on Wednesday with hopes that they will be able to give me the treatment. The doctor also said that they will drop my chemo by 25% next week. My mother and I are fine. We are having another extended vacation in Birmingham which we always enjoy. I've never felt better in my life so there is no need for any worries. As always keep us in your prayers as we will do the same. Take care everyone. FROM ROSLIN Hello family. I'm just dropping by to say hello and update you on my cancer. So far, so good. Tuesday, my mother and I will be heading back to Birmingham for my third chemotherapy session. Things have been going really well. The numbness on my face is completely gone. Pray for us and we will keep you posted. ROSLIN SMITH UPDATE Hello everyone. I have just finished with my second chemotherapy session and all is well. My mother and I will be traveling back to Panama City tomorrow. My next treatment is scheduled for 28 April thru 2 May. The doctors said that if my white blood cell count was too low on my next visit that he is going to lower my dosage by 25%. We are both in good spirits and are happy with the way the treatments have gone thus far. As always thank you all for your prayers, support and all the phone calls. As you all pray for us we pray for you. Thank you and God bless. ROSLIN SMITH UPDATE Hello family. I'm just dropping by to bring everyone up to speed on my Cancer. I started chemotherapy four weeks ago at the Kirklin Clinic in Birmingham Alabama. My first three day treatment went well. I am currently in Birmingham for my second treatment but it had to be postponed until next Wednesday thru Friday due to my white blood cell count being too low after the first treatment. My mother Linda Marie Smith has moved from New Orleans to Panama City Florida to assit me with my treatments. My spirits and faith are at an all time high. I am still free of pain and what symptoms I did have are becoming less noticeable as each day passes. As always I thank you all for keeping me in your prayers. Take care and God Bless. FROM LYDIA THE WHITE HOUSE ROSLIN SMITH - LATEST UPDATE Hello everyone. I just wanted to let you all know that I will be starting treatment up in Birmingham next week. On Tuesday I will have surgery, they will put a port in my chest so they can administer the Chemo without having to stick me with needles. My first chemo treatment is scheduled for Wednesday, a whole 8 hours of treatment in one day. Thursday and Friday I will be treated for just a couple of hours each day. So far my treatments will be 3 day treatments everyone 3 weeks. I'm anxious to get started so I can begin the road to recovery. Continue to pray for me as I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers. Take care and God Bless. ROSLIN SMITH - TEST RESULTS Hello all. I just returned from the Kirkland Clinic in Birmingham. On Tuesday evening they did a Pet Scan from the neck down and on Wednesday they started with a Bone Marrow Biopsy which really hurt since I had to stay awake the whole time. After that I grabbed a light lunch and then had a 2 1/2 hour MRI followed by a CAT Scan of my neck, head, and lower body. This morning I met a doctor at the Wallace Tumor Institute where I found out some of the results of my tests. The Bone Marrow Biopsy showed that I have cancer cells in my bone marrow and the PET Scan showed that I have cancer cells in other parts of my body. The MRI showed cancer cells in my spinal fluid and I also have another mass in my lower back. The doctors are going to meet again since the results showed cancer cells in other places to determine my treatment. He said that it would most likely be chemo followed by some radiation. They will call me next week to discuss our next move. I am still doing well with the exception of the allergic reaction to the antiseizure medicine which makes me break out in hives all over. I'm still in good spirits and I try not to let what the doctors say get me because I'm not in any pain and I don't feel sick. Once I hear from the doctors I will send another update. Take care and God bless. ROSLIN SMITH UPDATE Hello family. I just stopped by to give you all an update on my diagnosis. I received my biopsy results from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville on the 23rd of January. My tumor is a low grade b lymphoma. It is highly treatable and there is a possibility of a 100% recovery. On the 2nd of February I was sent to UAB Medical Center in Birmingham where they will look at all my information and decide on the best possible treatment. Tomorrow I am scheduled for a pet scan and on Wednesday I will be admitted to UAB Medical Center so they can do a bone marrow biopsy, MRI of my spine and some other test that I can't recall. I will be in Birmingham for the rest of the week. Once they get all the results back they will then submit my information to the tumor board which will then determine my treatment. Again my tumor is cancer but its not the bad kind (smile). The doctors think i will make a full recovery. Wish me luck and again thank you for all your prayers. Prayer really does change things. I love you all. IMPORTANT INFORMATION
FROM LYDIA MATLOCK Harvard University Announcement MESSAGE FROM LINDA SMITH Thanks for all the prayers. Love the whole family of Johnsons. We are a proud family. ROSLIN SMITH UPDATE Hello everyone. I just wanted to let you know that the biopsy results have not come back yet, so we are still waiting. I will post the news as soon as i get it. ROSLIN SMITH UPDATE Hello everyone. I just wanted to let you all know the current status of what's
going on with me here in panama city. We are still waiting on the results from
the biopsy. Once the doctor gets them we will go to the office and decide the
best course of action to eliminate the tumor. I'm still free of pain and worry.
I would like to thank you all for you prayers and support; you have all been
wonderful. We will keep you all informed as soon as we know more. If you would
like to send any type of motivational aides send them to: LINDA SMITH Hello everyone. Roslin has a brain tumor. She is in the hospitial in Panama City, Florida. We are waiting on the decision on where the surgery will be done. There are several choices. Roslin is the daughter of Linda and Arthur Smith, granddaughter of Mable Johnson Jacobs. Roslin's Picture is in the Photo Album. The hospital is Bay Medical Center. Please keep Roslin in your prayers. Will send an update later. Check with the webmasters for my phone number. MICHAEL JOHNSON Our High School band raised $112,000 in 4 days to finance the trip to the Inaguration. God is always good!! This is not about me, this is for all of our relatives and friends to see the tremendous support that is awaiting out there for young people of purpose. We are the only high school band to represent the entire state of Georgia. We beat out over 1400 bands!! My motto is: "Consistent persistence overcomes resistence!! Please read the entire article.
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