Melanie Melinda Hood

Melanie Melinda Hood, 49, passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 14th, 2018 in Albany,GA. Melanie had no savings or Life Insurance and had requested that I create a Fundraiser in lieu of flowers upon her death to assist with any final expenses. I am arranging her cremation which will cost $2,700. Here is her story. She was born in Albany, GA at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital on January 5th, 1969 as the youngest child of Dr. Herb Leon Hood (deceased, 2017 Albany, GA) and Judith Ann Matthew (Hood) Kumkoski (deceased, 2005 Anderson, IN). Melanie was born with a rare congenital disease known as Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). At the time of her birth little was known about this disease and it had already claimed the life of an older sister Valoree Hood who had died at the age of 5 mos from complications of CAH. It was later determined that Melanie had the most severe form known as ""salt wasting"" A lifelong struggle including multiple medical procedures as a child, a frightening Adrenal Tumor removal surgery at age 17 which left a 21"" scar across her abdomen and continued medical management under an Endocrinologist helped her survive to adulthood. Patients with CAH had an unknown life expectancy due to the low number of survivors past their childhood and adolescent years. CAH is fatal if untreated and requires daily lifetime medication including corticosteroids and in her case mineral corticoids. This disease is the reason she had excessive chin hair, darker skin pigmentation and short stature. Many who knew her would never have known she had this disease as it never stopped her from doing the things she enjoyed or needed to do until this past year when she seemed to decline and struggle more and more with it's complications. A 1987 graduate of Highland High School, she lived her life in Anderson, IN, Muncie, IN and finally here in Albany, GA. She is remembered for her ready smile, sharp wit and kind heart. She always enjoyed a good (or bad) joke, was an avid reader and movie goer and writer. Those who knew her well knew her true loves were her family and games- Board games, Card games, Puzzle games and Dice games. She worked as a Cashier at Flash Foods here in Albany and was a favorite of many of the customers that were ""Regulars"". She was proceeded in death by our parents, grandparents, sister and stepbrother- Mark Kumkoski She is survived by her remaining siblings: Ted Hood, Jeff Hood (Peggy), Sheryl (Hood) Tremaine (Dan), Laurie Hood (Gil Nurques) and Travis Hood; Half siblings: Kim (Hood) Hobbs (Tony), Hollis Hood (Tina) and Heather (Hood) Johnson(Mike); Nieces and Nephews: Rebecca (Hood) Beatty, Jason Hood, Matthew Campbell, Tyler Tremaine, Neale Hood, India Hood, Jordan (Hood) Proctor, Jeremy Hood, Tara Tremaine, Jade Hood and Asher Hood. Corey Hobbs, Mary Hobbs, Henry Hood, Coleen Hood, Maddie Johnson, Wes Johnson and Mercer Johnson; Stepmother: Mary Peeples Hood; Aunt Wanda (Hood) Ice (Jim), Uncle Joe Shmalo; Cousins: Karla (Ice) Caplinger (Jeff), Stephen Ice (Angelia), Mike Ice (Stacy), David Ice (Stacey), Dan Shmalo (Erin) and Jennifer Shmalo. Whether you knew Melanie personally, one of her family members or someone who lives with CAH, I thank you for acknowledging her wishes.