Rob,
We missed you out there last night and everyone was praying for you. Hurry up and get better so you can join our misfit bunch in the Spring!
-Scot
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Rob as a patient
We just got back from the hospital after spending a little time with Rob.
He was a little tired from the morphine and had a few hot flashes but that didn't last long after we cranked the air down to 65. He still had that "Rob" sense of humor that had us laughing.
Examples of Rob's humor:
1. When his Mom and Dad were leaving, Nance said "We will see you tomorrow Rob" he said "good, come on back and we'll watch Ellen."
2. He held up his tiny "healthy milk" carton and said "You know why they call this healthy milk? Because anything with just 4 oz has to be healthy, heck 4 oz of beer would be really healthy."
3. He said he hated the oxygen in his nose, claimed it felt like he had 2 big boogers in his nose.
4. He took the oxygen out and sat it on top of his nose, Susie said "Rob, what are you doing? Put that back in your nose" he said "I'm just trying to dry my eyes out."
So needless to say, Rob has still got his sense of humor which was so good to see.
Susie is staying there tonight with him in his room, it is very doubtful she'll get much sleep, but she doesn't want to leave his side. They were both in great spirits tonight although extremely tired as you would expect.
Another big day tomorrow, hopefully we will have some good news and a plan for treatment.
He was a little tired from the morphine and had a few hot flashes but that didn't last long after we cranked the air down to 65. He still had that "Rob" sense of humor that had us laughing.
Examples of Rob's humor:
1. When his Mom and Dad were leaving, Nance said "We will see you tomorrow Rob" he said "good, come on back and we'll watch Ellen."
2. He held up his tiny "healthy milk" carton and said "You know why they call this healthy milk? Because anything with just 4 oz has to be healthy, heck 4 oz of beer would be really healthy."
3. He said he hated the oxygen in his nose, claimed it felt like he had 2 big boogers in his nose.
4. He took the oxygen out and sat it on top of his nose, Susie said "Rob, what are you doing? Put that back in your nose" he said "I'm just trying to dry my eyes out."
So needless to say, Rob has still got his sense of humor which was so good to see.
Susie is staying there tonight with him in his room, it is very doubtful she'll get much sleep, but she doesn't want to leave his side. They were both in great spirits tonight although extremely tired as you would expect.
Another big day tomorrow, hopefully we will have some good news and a plan for treatment.
Update from the hospital...
We just talked with the surgeon and Rob's biopsy is complete! Everything went well and took about an hour. The Cardiac surgeon...Dr. P said the Pathologist was in the room and felt that they were able to get enough tissue for this biopsy and we should know something maybe tomorrow. I am SOOOOO thankful to know that Dr. P did not feel like Rob's heart was compromised by this tumor. He said it is on top of the heart, near vital arteries, etc, but that it is not "smashing" or threatening his heart. This is good news because we were very concerned and so worried that the location of the tumor could be very threatening for Rob. Thank God for this!! Please continue to pray for Rob and his healing. More updates to come. I should be able to see Rob in about 30 minutes and he will stay overnight in the hospital for observation.
Susie
OLG Softball missed you last night...
Sorry we couldn't pull out a win for you last night, Rob. We could've used your help, but I guess you have a good excuse for not being there. There were lots of prayers for you, even the guys that beat the heck out of us prayed for you. Hurry up and get well so we can start our rigorous offseason training program. Hang in there, buddy.
Chris
Chris
Off to the Hospital
Today, Rob is heading to the heart center for the biopsy. He is doing well this morning, more rested than he has been in weeks. He said he wished he would have had the Vicoden a long time ago! The Dr says we should expect the surgery to take about 60-90 minutes, after Rob will go to the surgical intensive care, and then be moved to a room for observation and care overnight...maybe two. We are one step closer to beginning treatment. Tomorrow we will meet with the Oncologist and learn the results of the additional scans and blood work. It will take anywhere from 2-7 working days to receive the results of today's biopsy.
Thank you for your prayers and please continue to lift Rob up in prayer.
Love, Suz
Thank you for your prayers and please continue to lift Rob up in prayer.
Love, Suz
My Utmost for His Highest - September 30th
This is a devotion written by Oswald Chambers (1874-1917). He was a Scottish minister and teacher whose teachings have been a great source of inspiration to me. Below is his writing for today:
THE COMMISSION OF THE CALL
"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake." Colossians 1:24
We make calls out of our own spiritual consecration, but when we get right with God He brushes all these aside, and rivets us with a pain that is terrific to one thing we never dreamed of, and for one radiant flashing moment we see what He is after, and we say - "Here am I, send me."
This call has nothing to do with personal sanctification, but with being made broken bread and poured-out wine. God can never make us wine if we object to the fingers He uses to crush us with. If God would only use His own fingers, and make me broken bread and poured-out wine in a special way! But when He uses someone whom we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, and makes those the crushers, we object. We must never choose the scene of our own martyrdom. If ever we are going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed; you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed.
I wonder what kind of finger and thumb God has been using to squeeze you, and you have been like a marble and escaped? You are not ripe yet, and if God had squeezed you, the wine would have been remarkably bitter. To be a sacramental personality means that the elements of the natural life are presenced by God as they are broken providentially in His service. We have to be adjusted into God before we can be broken bread in His hands. Keep right with God and let Him do what He likes, and you will find that He is producing the kind of bread and wine that will benefit His other children.
http://www.myutmost.org/09/0930.html
Rob - you have an army of prayers covering you from Georgia. I am with you in spirit.
All my sisterly love,
-Amy
THE COMMISSION OF THE CALL
"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake." Colossians 1:24
We make calls out of our own spiritual consecration, but when we get right with God He brushes all these aside, and rivets us with a pain that is terrific to one thing we never dreamed of, and for one radiant flashing moment we see what He is after, and we say - "Here am I, send me."
This call has nothing to do with personal sanctification, but with being made broken bread and poured-out wine. God can never make us wine if we object to the fingers He uses to crush us with. If God would only use His own fingers, and make me broken bread and poured-out wine in a special way! But when He uses someone whom we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, and makes those the crushers, we object. We must never choose the scene of our own martyrdom. If ever we are going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed; you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed.
I wonder what kind of finger and thumb God has been using to squeeze you, and you have been like a marble and escaped? You are not ripe yet, and if God had squeezed you, the wine would have been remarkably bitter. To be a sacramental personality means that the elements of the natural life are presenced by God as they are broken providentially in His service. We have to be adjusted into God before we can be broken bread in His hands. Keep right with God and let Him do what He likes, and you will find that He is producing the kind of bread and wine that will benefit His other children.
http://www.myutmost.org/09/0930.html
Rob - you have an army of prayers covering you from Georgia. I am with you in spirit.
All my sisterly love,
-Amy
Monday, September 29, 2008
The late PM report
Rob heads to the hospital around 11 am tomorrow for his second biopsy. It will be surgery going in through his chest, and he'll have to stay overnight. I'll be with Suz at the hospital in the afternoon, Ron and Joann will have the boys, and Mom and Dad will be on their way from Granville, with cat.In other news, Claire brought home four kittens last night. They all need homes of course, but they a wonderful diversion and bright spot. Needless to say, Reggie is beside himself.
The PM report
Labs done...oncologist appt moved to Weds at 8 am when more tests are in. Still going to the thoracic-cardiac doctor this afternoon...biopsy still on for tomorrow.
Rob got vicodin prescribed today. Woohoo!!!
The AM report
It's a big day for Rob today...he is seeing the oncologist Dr. Braden and goes for more lab work, then meets with the thoracic surgeon at 4:30 pm. He will likely have another biopsy done right away tomorrow. He is not well today and feeling very uncomfortable, so things are getting expedited as much as possible.
Rob is so incredibly brave, and he's really hanging tough. His wonderful, peaceful spirit is far stronger than any of this.
"Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will."
--Mahatma Ghandhi
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
I love you, Rob....today, tomorrow and everyday of our journey.
Suz
I love you, Rob....today, tomorrow and everyday of our journey.
Suz
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Rob after PET scan
Today I went with Rob and Susie to St. Francis hospital for the PET scan. JoAnn and Ron, Susie's parents were there waiting for him when we arrived around 1:15pm. We all sat together in the waiting area and said a prayer over Rob, then he went with a technician to receive the dye into his system. He came back out to the waiting area after that and had to wait about an hour for it to circulate through his system. While waiting, Rob tracked the IU game on his Blackberry and fought off hunger pains. He wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything after 9:15am. At about 2:30pm the technician finally comes back out to get Rob to perform the scan. About 20 minutes later Rob comes out and announces "Time for a Whopper with cheese and a vanilla milkshake." We said goodbye to Susie's parents and headed for the Burger King drive thru. Then after a brief stop at the house where Rob was briefly sorry he wolfed down the Whopper, we headed for Roo's house. Sam, Thomas, Nonni, Boppy, Bossy, Al, Lynn, Roo and Reggie dog were all there waiting for us to get back. Roo fired up an appetizer that Rob is pictured here chowing on, he was still hungry...still Rob.The rest of the evening Rob was king of the remote, flipping channels and armchair quarterbacking the college football games with Al and Boppy. All in all it was one good day, one good day closer to knowing more about what is going on. Hang in there Rob!
Love, Amy
Love, Amy
Friday, September 26, 2008
Update on today's visit with the Oncologist
Today we met with Dr. Christopher Braden. Rob and I both like him, although my initial reaction was to not like him because we received some information that I personally was not ready to hear.
Here is a quick overview of today...our first visit with the Oncologist. It has been another long day with more news that we did not necessarily expect. Dr. Braden was hesitant to call Rob's cancer Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma without more testing (CT scans, blood work and another biopsy by way of a Cardiac surgeon and possibly a bone marrow biopsy.) Dr. Braden also talked to us about the seriousness of this tumor in Rob's chest...the size and the location. He explained that the tumor is basically sitting on top of Rob's heart and "squashing his aorta." (sp?) There is also too much fluid around the heart. Apparently we all have about a tsp of fluid around our heart, but Rob has an excessive amount. (caused by the tumor) He said he was very surprised to see that Rob looked so good. I guess he expected Rob to look sick and feel worse than he does considering the size and location of the tumor. So, he was pleasantly surprised. He is also pleased to know that Rob's symptoms improved when he was on steroids a few weeks ago...this indicated that this was possibly a lymphoma. (Lymphomsa typically respond to steroids) He also did an exam of all of Rob's common lymph nodes (neck, abdominal, groin, etc) and said he did not find any that seemed alarming to him...another good thing.
So, our next steps? Rob had another CT Scan today of his chest and additional scans of the abdominal area and pelvis as well as more blood tests. Saturday he will have PET/CT scan. Monday we will see a Cardiac Surgeon for consultation and then he will schedule an additional biopsy of the tumor. The first biopsy did not provide enough tissue to pinpoint the type of Lymphoma. Wednesday we will meet with Dr. Braden (the Ongologist) again and hopefully have the results of all of the scans and new blood work. We are also hoping to have a true diagnosis at that point and maybe even a treatment plan, however we may have to wait for the second biopsy to be completed by the surgeon.
So, that is where we are...more testing...more waiting....and more questions (for me, at least).
That is about all I can remember...it was a lot of information and a bit overwhelming. But, as Rob says...this is a good thing...they are checking his WHOLE body and we will know for sure what we are dealing with and have the right treatment underway soon.
More to come...as we have the details, I will try to pass them along to all of you.
Suz
Here is a quick overview of today...our first visit with the Oncologist. It has been another long day with more news that we did not necessarily expect. Dr. Braden was hesitant to call Rob's cancer Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma without more testing (CT scans, blood work and another biopsy by way of a Cardiac surgeon and possibly a bone marrow biopsy.) Dr. Braden also talked to us about the seriousness of this tumor in Rob's chest...the size and the location. He explained that the tumor is basically sitting on top of Rob's heart and "squashing his aorta." (sp?) There is also too much fluid around the heart. Apparently we all have about a tsp of fluid around our heart, but Rob has an excessive amount. (caused by the tumor) He said he was very surprised to see that Rob looked so good. I guess he expected Rob to look sick and feel worse than he does considering the size and location of the tumor. So, he was pleasantly surprised. He is also pleased to know that Rob's symptoms improved when he was on steroids a few weeks ago...this indicated that this was possibly a lymphoma. (Lymphomsa typically respond to steroids) He also did an exam of all of Rob's common lymph nodes (neck, abdominal, groin, etc) and said he did not find any that seemed alarming to him...another good thing.
So, our next steps? Rob had another CT Scan today of his chest and additional scans of the abdominal area and pelvis as well as more blood tests. Saturday he will have PET/CT scan. Monday we will see a Cardiac Surgeon for consultation and then he will schedule an additional biopsy of the tumor. The first biopsy did not provide enough tissue to pinpoint the type of Lymphoma. Wednesday we will meet with Dr. Braden (the Ongologist) again and hopefully have the results of all of the scans and new blood work. We are also hoping to have a true diagnosis at that point and maybe even a treatment plan, however we may have to wait for the second biopsy to be completed by the surgeon.
So, that is where we are...more testing...more waiting....and more questions (for me, at least).
That is about all I can remember...it was a lot of information and a bit overwhelming. But, as Rob says...this is a good thing...they are checking his WHOLE body and we will know for sure what we are dealing with and have the right treatment underway soon.
More to come...as we have the details, I will try to pass them along to all of you.
Suz
We're with you, Rob
Hi Rob ;
We are here pulling for you as you lick this terrible and inconvenient disease. We can hardly wait for the day that you will say "I am a cancer survivor" and go on with your life. Meanwhile, during treatment, I intend to capture those pesky cancer cells in a big old trash can, drive them out to the petrochemical plant in Lima and deep six them into the infinite pit where they dispose of their toxic waste. We'll show those beasties who's the boss!
We love you and your family very much and we will be with you every day as you return to good health.
Martie and Sandy MacDonell
We are here pulling for you as you lick this terrible and inconvenient disease. We can hardly wait for the day that you will say "I am a cancer survivor" and go on with your life. Meanwhile, during treatment, I intend to capture those pesky cancer cells in a big old trash can, drive them out to the petrochemical plant in Lima and deep six them into the infinite pit where they dispose of their toxic waste. We'll show those beasties who's the boss!
We love you and your family very much and we will be with you every day as you return to good health.
Martie and Sandy MacDonell
Forwarded message from Granville
Message for Rob from Pat and Ted Barclay:
"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds declares the Lord" Jeremiah 30:17
Testing day
Rob is undergoing more tests today and will be at the hospital most of the day and possibly some tomorrow too. The doctors are working to hone in further on the type of lymphoma and the right course of treatment.
Mom and Dad drove back over to Indy yesterday, Amy flew in this morning, Betsy will be here tomorrow. I asked Rob last night if he could handle all three of sisters at once...he just laughed.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Rob and family,
Our prayers and thoughts are with you tonight and throughout this journey. I know this is a beatable disease, and I know you are strong, so I'm thinking good thoughts for you. A dear friend from our neighborhood heads the family practice unit at St. Francis, so if you need some contact names there, I may be able to help. Hope you can get some relief from your coughing and breathing challenges soon.
Amy MacDonell and Randy Shepard
Our prayers and thoughts are with you tonight and throughout this journey. I know this is a beatable disease, and I know you are strong, so I'm thinking good thoughts for you. A dear friend from our neighborhood heads the family practice unit at St. Francis, so if you need some contact names there, I may be able to help. Hope you can get some relief from your coughing and breathing challenges soon.
Amy MacDonell and Randy Shepard
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