Anticipation

Before Open Brain Surgery:


5 hours later:


Is the cancer growing back?

"I really could use a wish right now..."

On August 31th, Reginald Sr. will take another baby step towards his destiny. Another MRI. At 6:30a.m.

"Plain and simple, I wish the doctors will tell me the MRI results are negative. I can't keep going through this."

But with brain cancer, does he really have a choice?

"They increased my dosage of chemo and I'm already starting to lose hair again. I hope this is just stress (laughs)."

But behind that smile and laughs, is he crying? Or is he a soldier preparing for the worst?

Then again, has the worst already made its presence?


"The worst thing that the doctors can tell me is that...

...the cancer is growing back."

Reginald is constantly looking at the clock. Counting down the hours. Down to the final hour when he walks through the hallways of Henry Ford Hospital downtown Detroit.

Until then...

He has nothing. No wishes.

Just God.

Fighter

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.
~Exodus 14:14

...perhaps God is fighting for Reggie.

"I can't even count how many times I prayed in that hospital bed."

While recovering, Reggie resided at Henry Ford Hospital downtown Detroit for an entire week.

7 days of pain.
7 days of agony.
7 days of questions.


7 days with God.

"I've seen that God was helping me out. He gave me another chance... (sighs) at life."

Cancer.

If there aren't any cures, how could anyone be so positive and strong-minded in the fight against the disease. It inevitably seems like the person's recovery and fate nestle inside the doctor's hands.

But it's not.

It's in God's hands. And He is pounding his fists for Reggie.

"Together, we will beat this. This disease does not control my life. God does. And I control my destiny."

surprise

If you knew how many people are praying for you, would you treat people differently? If you knew, would you be a different person?

"I was very surprised on how many people came to see me at the hospital. And waited in the waiting room during my surgery."

Tick.

Tock.

Reggie's brain surgery lasted 5 hours. And he was WIDE awake the entire time.

Tick.

Tock.

The doctors finally removed the tumor. As for Reggie...

He survived.

"I woke up and started seeing faces, and I thought for a second, I was on the breathing machine."

But he was just Reggie. Breathing on his own. Thank God.

"I had my family. I had people from the Star Factory. I had Monica Blaire. I had pretty much Twitter praying for me. (laughs.) Wow."

Even people who he didn't even knew existed were sending their prayers...

"...thank you."

day one

Ok, it's not day 1. But it sure in hell feels like it...

Imagine one day finding out that you have a disease. Imagine it being brain cancer.

Scared yet?

You're only 22 years old.

"It's been the craziest experience. I have to be sick just to feel better."

Reginald D. Johnson Sr. is this young man's name. And he is determined to beat this so-called disease. Anaplasic Oligodendroglioma. huh?

Oh wait. No.

Correction.

Ependymoma.

Best known as Brain Cancer.

"Truthfully, I was ULTRA surprised. Because I originally came in for a heart check-up. The doctors then said that they would have to do an MRI."

Note: MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging, help physicians visualize the internal structure of the human body.


Imagine your future depending on the one picture that tells it all.





"CLEARLY, They found the problem... Damn."

Ok.

So you have the cancer. What do you do now? Do you go to bed and cry your sweet eyes out? Or do you just...

...die?

"The doctors straight up told me that I need to undergo surgical procedures. And then, um, lets see, (laughs), so I did it. I had no choice. I mean, did I really?"