Please visit Dottie’s website: www.dottielessard.com

You may purchase this book through www.Amazon.com

Jana was a very devoted wife, step-mother, daughter, sister, and friend. She dedicated her time to the LGDA Alliance, her family, her own health, and the joy of helping others. She loved her two cats dearly (Techno & Roxy), enjoyed cooking and reading, and treasured each day she spent happy, healthy and alive. I will always remember her joyful smile, her radiant glow, and the calming presence about her. She was never afraid or shy about sharing her disease, but eager to tell people of the new information, research, and outcomes. We spent so many memorable times together, but the best was the unplanned days where we laid in bed talking of fears, husbands, pet peeves, and gossiping about the hottest doctors. Kristine was also another of the “three musketeers.” The three of us loved to dine out, especially sushi (not raw of course!!) and Thai food, and enjoy the company and laughter of each other. We often laughed at how organized Jana was, but she was actually the one to plan her own “Celebration of Life.” She focused on details, numbers, and spelling. She had an eye for editing, and a knack for personal and media communication. Despite the odds against her Jana lived a full and extensive life. She lived in several states, held many respectable professions, made friends wherever she went, promoted awareness of LYMPH and organ transplant, and traveled often to her favorite vacation spot, Brant Lake in New York. This is one place she has asked her husband and family to spread her ashes in the coming months.

I would just like to commend her husband, Eric. He was her biggest support and managed her care more then anyone will ever know. Eric is a patient, gentle, and quiet man who wholeheartedly gave his life to Jana. I wish him all the best in his feature endeavors. To her parents: Suzanne and Jack, Congratulations! You two have raised such a wonderful and compassionate daughter. I am so lucky to have known her for the short time that I did. To Gavin: you are so lucky to have had such a caring step-mother. She loved you as her own and hopes for the best in everything you do.

And to Jana…
You will be missed! You have shed your positive spirit on so many people here on Earth. Each day we think of you, hoping there is a heaven and you can help guide us throughout the rest of this journey we call “Life.” I love you always and forever.

Lymphangiomatosis in the in the News

News Article about Jana dates August 20th, 2009.

Jana Kelly Sheets:

Arrangements have been made for the Celebration of Life for Jana Sheets. Please join her family and friends on Saturday January 16th a 2:00pm in The Duke Gardens Clubhouse in Durham, North Carolina to honor the life and legacy of Jana. She had requested no memorial services but a gathering of friends and loved ones to reflect on her life, experiences, memories, and accomplishments. Please dress casual and no black, but colors that shine the light of her spirit.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the LGD Alliance at www.lgdalliance.org. This Foundation, Lymphangiomatosis and Gorham’s Disease, was founded by Jana and her father, Jack Kelly to gather research and clinical trials for awareness to medical personnel and to help other patients cope with this and other orphan diseases.

An article Featuring Jana posted January 9th, 2010.

Christmas Eve was a quite time here around the Berry household. My mom and I met a few dear friends for dinner. Of course we missed services again this year. Christmas Day I cooked a full dinner for 12ppl and we opened gifts and shared in the joy of excitement and surprise. Later that evening my sister, her fiancée, and I headed to my father’s for another present exchange and a late night snack.

Then came my 30th birthday, December 27th, I can’t even believe it! The big 3-0!! The doctors told my parents I probably would never make it to my teens and now I am three decades old. My Aunt Susie surprised me with a visit too.

Travis is headed to the Rose Bowl on New Years Day in California. He has been talking about this since Oregon beat Oregon State in the Civil War around Thanksgiving. Go Ducks!

The weather here in Boston is freezing, and I mean like 13 degrees with a -5 wind chill factor. Since my lung transplants I am very sensitive to the cold, plus I think I climatized to the South real quickly. I am having a gynecological procedure at Mass General tomorrow morning. Hope for a quick recovery and fly home to NC in mid-January. I really miss the kids I sit for, both Elle and Griffin. Once I get home I will have another bronchoscopy, PFTs, and x-ray to see if the high dose steroids I took in early December worked to cure the rejection. If not I will be admitted to Duke for a few days for a heavy duty anti-rejection medication.

Happy Birthday December Babies: Bethany Kim, James, Marla, Jan, Sarah, Kellie, Dottie, Ashley, and Lindsey!

I am wishing everyone a happy, peaceful, and healthy New Year!

~Inhale. Exhale. Breathe.~

~Inhale.~Exhale.~Breathe.~

Please continue your prayers for my friend Jana. Also I am remembering my friend Deb Hamlin who passed away this week from transplant complications, my sympathies to her family. To the family of Joey Velucci, keep strong and I am thinking of you all.

That weekend I had been in Maine for Thanksgiving with the Marsh Family. Mary Marsh had asked me to pull the wish bone from the turkey and make a wish. I did…… that following Monday night while watching CSI, Miami at 10pm the phone rang. I had a notion, an uneasy and nervous feeling in my stomach. The phone was for me, it was the lung transplant surgeon Dr. John Wain, asking if I was “ready?” Was I? I didn’t know, the time had finally come, 4 ½ years on the list. He said he was on his way to look at the organs to see if they are viable. He said he would call back soon. I freaked! I called my mom, dad, sister, and best friend Mackenzie. They were all at my house within the hour. We waited, waited, and waited. Midnight, 2am, 4am, 5am, passed. Around 6:30am the phone rang again, “They are a go” said Dr. Wain, “be at MGH by noon.” At the point memories all mix together; I was emotional, scared, and optimistic. I do remember talking with several family members and friends, but none of the conversations. We drove to the Hospital in Mom’s car, not sure why the rest of weren’t thinking, we actually let her drive. It was a long and frightening ride. As soon as we were inside the large medical institution we were led to the SICU to a private positive pressure room. Surrounded by glass, the entire room was sterile, no pictures on the walls, just IV pumps, blood pressure machines, heart monitors, medicine cart, a fusty looking bed, and a small 13” TV strapped to the ceiling. After the lab drew many tubes of blood, my sats were taken and anesthesia came up and explained the risks of lung transplantation, to which I signed off as okay on the form, I was headed down to the operating room. My family was allowed to come as far as the induction room but they were required to be fully covered in alien looking scrubs. Tears were shed, smiles were shared, and I was ready to go! “See you on the other side,” I said as they rolled me away into the OR. This was it, I was either going to live or die.

The surgery took about nine hours. Constant updates were given to my family and clan of friends who had gathered in the waiting room. Supposedly they took over the place, sharing snacks and games, sleeping, laughing, and crying. It was late into the night before the surgery was complete. Most people went home but my immediate family stayed. Early in the morning they were finally allowed t see me in the SICU behind the closed glass. My father said he noticed the color back in my cheeks right away. I lay there still, motionless as I was in an induced coma to help heal the large clam shell incision across my chest. Days passed, the 1st of December came and went. The doctors hoped to extabate me within a week of the operation but I ended up getting pneumonia in my new lungs so I wasn’t off the ventilator until December 16th. I do remember bits of pieces when I was under. I not quite sure what was real or what was imaginary but I did see family and friends and people from the past. On Dec 14th the doctors finally allowed my family to come into the glass room and talk with me and hold my hand. They had to be fully gowned, masked, and gloved though. The next few days were a blur. I had ICU psychosis, wasn’t allowed to eat, in pain, and felt depressed. It seems as though time was standing still. Finally on the 21st day I was transferred to Blake 6, the transplant step-down unit. My first thought was to take a shower. My mom placed a chair in the large hospital room shower and I just sat in there for 45min, letting the warm satisfying rain drops just splash off of me. This was the best feeling I had had since before the transplant. After, I read several of my well wishes from all the many people who wrote during the past 21-day ordeal. My eyes filled with tears as strangers were saying prayers for me all around the world. Those next few days flew by, I was a star patient. I was walking on my own now, eating regular food, and learning quickly my new routines for daily medications. I was now prescribed at least 15 different medications, totaling over 35 pills a day. On Christmas Eve my Doctor came by my room and gave me the most wonderful news yet, I was being discharged tomorrow, Christmas Day! What a perfect gift!

Now four years have passed. I am grateful to all my family and friends for being so supportive, My Aunt Susie, my Mom, Leah, and Fred. But most importantly I am thankful to my donor, who gave me life, breath, and new lungs.

~Inhale.~Exhale.Breathe.~

I am hoping for peace and good health to all this holiday season. Please keep my friend Jana in your thoughts as she countinues to fight everyday to breathe. Also please pray for Jill Sager, Felicia, Carmen, and Bobby Dixon. I am thankful for the wonderful family I have been blessed with and the caring friends that surround me. Have a happy and safe Turkey Day!

~Inhale.~Exhale.~Breathe.~

You may have noticed several pictures of myself with children, those are the kids I nanny for. I watch two children from seperate families during the week. Griffin, age 3 years, is an energetic and creative little boy who loves to play soccer and go to the museum to see the dinosaur exhibit. Elle is a happy bubbly 13 month baby. I have been with her since she was two months. Our current activities include going to the park, rhyme time, and trying out new foods at meal time. So far there isn’t much she wont eat, a girl after my own heart! Both families have been so great in allowing me flexibility for medical issues and appointments.

Now, on my health, it is good. Over the summer I had a bout of rejection and was given a strong medication, AKA Rat-G. As of September I needed to have three clean bronchoscopies, so far I have had one, all clear! I did have my second last week, but not enough tissue sample was biopsied so I have to have yet another. However, if it is clean I don’t have the procedure again until next year! Cross your fingers!

Today, Kasha (Travis’ sister and my Oregon girl) was in town. We were quite lazy today, me sleeping off and on until 3pm and Trav and Kasha battling each other on an Xbox game. Now we are waiting for the Oregon football game to start at 10pm, Go Ducks!

~Inhale. Exhale. Breathe.~