UPDATE 3/9/2011
As many of you know, on January 27 Ron went in for a radical prostatectomy. The surgeon used the “Da Vinci” robotic assist to handle the surgery. During the surgery all lymph nodes and the prostate was removed. Clearly this was major surgery. By mid February Ron was beginning to function once again and continues to heal from the event. There are side effects to this sort of surgery that he is currently dealing with and our hopes for a full recovery are strong. Unfortunately upon examination of the prostate it was determined that the cancer had migrated past the margins of the surgery and some remained with him. He still tests positive for cancer and we are waiting for more tests. If the cancer continues to develop he will be undergoing further treatment in a few months. Meanwhile he is busy working on the next issue of Survival Quarterly and continuing to work with Buck Knives on a legacy line of wilderness and survival knives.
We will keep you posted as things develop.
The Hood family is overwhelmed by the support, love, prayers and kind words. They have received several thousand emails and are trying to reply to as many as possible.
Once again, Thank you from the staff at Hoods Woods
A quick update from Karen regarding Ron’s status
If you do not know what this is regarding you can find more information in this important announcement.
Posted on the Hoodlums board at 2:13 am Friday January 28
Just got in from the Hospital.Ron did great in the surgery. He is in a lot of pain and they have him on morphine for the night. The doc said he was very stable in the operating room, but that he bled more than the usual person.
He has not walked today. He is in bed and talking very slowly and groggy. They hope to have him up and walking tomorrow for very short distances and he has to pass some physical tests before they let him come home. He did eat dinner though and that was a good thing. And he still has his humor even if he is morphined up.
Ron is one strong willed and positive person. He has handled this with such grace and humor. I am so proud of him.
Thanks so much for all you support, friendship, humor, prayers and love.
I will update more tomorrow.
-Karen
Posted on the Hoodlums board at 9:20 am Friday January 28
We just got Ron home around 4 today. Even though he was OK’d to come home today at noon, it took a few more hours for them to get our huge volume of discharge paperwork finished due to the extremely high volume of patients they have in their hospital.
I am going to hang it up here in a few. Will be able to post more soon. I’m pretty beat too. Ron is home, doing much better today and finally asleep in his own comfy bed.
Thanks everyone.
-Karen
If you would like to write a note of encouragement, well wishes, or offer your support in this time of crisis, you may send the Hood family by using this simple form found here. Ron, Karen and Jesse will see your notes of support and the strength they draw from your prayers and your love will help tremendously.
We will be trying to post regular updates regarding his fight on the home page of survival.com, but if you would like more regular news from those who know him best please feel free to sign up to the Hoodlums Message Board where you will see updates from many sources.
Thank you very much for your support, it is very well received. Sincerely, all of us at Hoods Woods and the Hoodlums boards.
